Analyzing the dynamics of urbanization in Delhi National Capital Region in India using satellite image time-series analysis

Understanding urban land-use changes and accurately quantifying urban land transitions is essential to global land-change research. The present study aimed to capture non-linear land transitions within urban areas using an automated change detection technique in a satellite image time series. Traditional land-use and cover maps used to map and monitor urban areas assume land change is a linear process and that urbanization is the last stage of land transition. In reality, however, most land transitions are non-linear. The present study focused on Delhi National Capital Territory, in India, and its adjacent major cities. A popular time-series analysis method was applied on MODIS NDVI time-series (2000–2017) data to detect change within the impervious surface area of the region. Overall validation and analysis of the results showed that the method was able to capture the direction and timing of the changes very well within all levels of urban density (except very high-density areas with more than 98% built-up density). The majority of urban areas in the region experienced interrupted, abrupt, and gradual greening. The results show different examples of non-linear land transitions detected from satellite images. Until recently, these land transitions could only be observed via long-term field surveys and/or local knowledge. The results reveal that the land-change trajectories can be different based on the level of built-up density, size of the urban area, physical proximity, and accessibility to relatively bigger urban areas. Knowledge gained from this study can be useful in better understanding the micro-climatic patterns and environmental quality within a city.