{"status":"ok","message-type":"work","message-version":"1.0.0","message":{"indexed":{"date-parts":[[2026,5,16]],"date-time":"2026-05-16T03:43:25Z","timestamp":1778903005031,"version":"3.51.4"},"reference-count":49,"publisher":"MDPI AG","issue":"11","license":[{"start":{"date-parts":[[2017,11,7]],"date-time":"2017-11-07T00:00:00Z","timestamp":1510012800000},"content-version":"vor","delay-in-days":0,"URL":"https:\/\/creativecommons.org\/licenses\/by\/4.0\/"}],"funder":[{"name":"the Special Project of Science and Technology Basic Work","award":["Grant No. 2014FY210800-5"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["Grant No. 2014FY210800-5"]}]},{"name":"Project of Youth Science and Technology Foundation of Gansu in China","award":["No.1610RJYA011"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["No.1610RJYA011"]}]},{"name":"Alumni Foundation of Civil Engineering 77, Lanzhou University of Technology of China","award":["Grant No.JK2015-29"],"award-info":[{"award-number":["Grant No.JK2015-29"]}]}],"content-domain":{"domain":[],"crossmark-restriction":false},"short-container-title":["Remote Sensing"],"abstract":"<jats:p>Spatial identification of the urban-rural fringes is very significant for deeply understanding the development processes and regulations of urban space and guiding urban spatial development in the future. Traditionally, urban-rural fringe areas are identified using statistical analysis methods that consider indexes from single or multiple factors, such as population densities, the ratio of building land, the proportion of the non-agricultural population, and economic levels. However, these methods have limitations, for example, the statistical data are not continuous, the statistical standards are not uniform, the data is seldom available in real time, and it is difficult to avoid issues on the statistical effects from edges of administrative regions or express the internal differences of these areas. This paper proposes a convenient approach to identify the urban-rural fringe using nighttime light data of DMSP\/OLS images. First, a light characteristics\u2013combined value model was built in ArcGIS 10.3, and the combined characteristics of light intensity and the degree of light intensity fluctuation are analyzed in the urban, urban-rural fringe, and rural areas. Then, the Python programming language was used to extract the breakpoints of the characteristic combination values of the nighttime light data in 360 directions taking Tian An Men as the center. Finally, the range of the urban-rural fringe area is identified. The results show that the urban-rural fringe of Beijing is mainly located in the annular band around Tian An Men. The average inner radius is 19 km, and the outer radius is 26 km. The urban-rural fringe includes the outer portions of the four city center districts, which are the Chaoyang District, Haidian District, Fengtai District, and Shijingshan District and the part area border with Daxing District, Tongzhou District, Changping District, Mentougou District, Shunyi District, and Fangshan District. The area of the urban-rural fringe is approximately 765 km2. This paper provides a convenient, feasible, and real-time approach for the identification of the urban-rural fringe areas. It is very significant to extract the urban-rural fringes.<\/jats:p>","DOI":"10.3390\/rs9111141","type":"journal-article","created":{"date-parts":[[2017,11,7]],"date-time":"2017-11-07T11:46:01Z","timestamp":1510055161000},"page":"1141","update-policy":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/mdpi_crossmark_policy","source":"Crossref","is-referenced-by-count":43,"title":["Spatial Recognition of the Urban-Rural Fringe of Beijing Using DMSP\/OLS Nighttime Light Data"],"prefix":"10.3390","volume":"9","author":[{"given":"Yuli","family":"Yang","sequence":"first","affiliation":[{"name":"Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, CAS, Lanzhou 730000, China"},{"name":"School of civil engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050, China"},{"name":"University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Mingguo","family":"Ma","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Remote Sensing Big Data Application, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Chao","family":"Tan","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"Chongqing Engineering Research Center for Remote Sensing Big Data Application, Southwest University, Chongqing 400715, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]},{"given":"Wangping","family":"Li","sequence":"additional","affiliation":[{"name":"School of civil engineering, Lanzhou University of Technology, Lanzhou 730050, China"}],"role":[{"role":"author","vocabulary":"crossref"}]}],"member":"1968","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2017,11,7]]},"reference":[{"key":"ref_1","first-page":"15","article-title":"Discussion on land use regulation in urban-rural fringe zone","volume":"4","author":"Wang","year":"2000","journal-title":"J. Geomat."},{"key":"ref_2","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4","DOI":"10.1007\/s41651-017-0005-3","article-title":"Mapping air population","volume":"1","author":"Peterson","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Geovis. Spat. Anal."},{"key":"ref_3","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"3","DOI":"10.1007\/s41651-017-0004-4","article-title":"GPU-accelerated rendering methods to visually analyze large-scale disaster simulation data","volume":"1","author":"Heitzler","year":"2017","journal-title":"J. Geovis. Spat. Anal."},{"key":"ref_4","first-page":"1525","article-title":"Research progress of urban and rural fringe in China","volume":"29","author":"Fu","year":"2010","journal-title":"Prog. Geogr."},{"key":"ref_5","first-page":"55","article-title":"Problems and Countermeasures of community management in urban-rural fringes","volume":"6","author":"Lv","year":"2009","journal-title":"Future Dev."},{"key":"ref_6","first-page":"6","article-title":"Problems and Countermeasures in urban-rural fringes","volume":"3","author":"Fu","year":"2002","journal-title":"Terr. Nat. Resour. Study"},{"key":"ref_7","first-page":"12","article-title":"Spatial identification and the evolvement of land use structure of rural-urban rapidly urbanized area\u2014A case study of Shenyang","volume":"5","author":"Xun","year":"2015","journal-title":"Terr. Nat. Resour. Study"},{"key":"ref_8","first-page":"46","article-title":"Land use problems and counter measures in Beijing urban-rural fringe","volume":"16","author":"Chen","year":"1996","journal-title":"Econ. Geogr."},{"key":"ref_9","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"129","DOI":"10.1111\/j.1542-734X.2005.160_2.x","article-title":"A field guide to sprawl","volume":"28","author":"Weir","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Am. Cult."},{"key":"ref_10","unstructured":"Russwurm, L.H. (1969). The Development to Fan Urban Corridor System, Torontoto Stratford Area: 1941\u20131966, Department of Geography and Planning and Resources Institute, University of Waterloo."},{"key":"ref_11","unstructured":"Song, G. (2003). A Study of Social Structure Change in Urban and Rural Fringe, Northwest Normal University."},{"key":"ref_12","first-page":"88","article-title":"Analysis of income distribution gap of the residents in urban-rural fringe","volume":"2","author":"Zhang","year":"2007","journal-title":"Prod. Res."},{"key":"ref_13","first-page":"995","article-title":"Research on the division methods of spatial boundary in urban-rural fringe","volume":"38","author":"Xu","year":"2010","journal-title":"J. Anhui Agric. Sci."},{"key":"ref_14","first-page":"210","article-title":"Method to identify the urban-rural fringe by TM images","volume":"3","author":"Bo","year":"1999","journal-title":"J. Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_15","first-page":"210","article-title":"Review on identification method and driving mechanism of Peri-urban Area","volume":"31","author":"Chen","year":"2012","journal-title":"Prog. Geo"},{"key":"ref_16","first-page":"99","article-title":"Determination of zone feature in fringe of a big city based on fuzzy overall evaluation","volume":"10","author":"Li","year":"2005","journal-title":"J. China Agric. Univ."},{"key":"ref_17","unstructured":"Xia, H. (2008). The Definition and Development Exploration of Shijiazhuang Urban Fringe, Hebei University."},{"key":"ref_18","first-page":"54","article-title":"The research on division methods of urban fringe\u2014A case study of Xi\u2019an","volume":"26","author":"Qian","year":"2006","journal-title":"J. Grad. Sun Yat-Sen Univ."},{"key":"ref_19","first-page":"36","article-title":"Spatial identification and land use of urban-rural lingkage area: A case study of the central city area in Beijing","volume":"31","author":"Lin","year":"2007","journal-title":"City Plan. Rev."},{"key":"ref_20","first-page":"106","article-title":"A method of division of urban fringe based on message entropy\u2014A case study in Nanjing city","volume":"35","author":"Cai","year":"2010","journal-title":"Sci. Surv. Mapp."},{"key":"ref_21","first-page":"771","article-title":"Seeking a method for identifying the urban fringe spatially based on industrial activities: A case study of Beijing city","volume":"28","author":"Cao","year":"2009","journal-title":"Geogr. Res."},{"key":"ref_22","first-page":"1068","article-title":"Research progress and prospect on the identification of urban fringe","volume":"33","author":"Peng","year":"2014","journal-title":"Prog. Geogr."},{"key":"ref_23","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Elvidge, C.D., Sutton, P.C., and Turtle, B.T. (2007, January 11\u201313). Change detection in satellite observed nighttime lights: 1992\u20132003. Proceedings of the 2007 Urban Remote Sensing Joint Event, Paris, France.","DOI":"10.1109\/URS.2007.371870"},{"key":"ref_24","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"174","DOI":"10.1007\/s11442-006-0205-0","article-title":"The urbanization process of Bohai Rim in the 1990s by using DMSP\/OLS data","volume":"16","author":"He","year":"2006","journal-title":"J. Geogr. Sci."},{"key":"ref_25","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2205","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rse.2009.06.001","article-title":"A SVM-based method to extract urban areas from DMSP-OLS and SPOT VGT data","volume":"113","author":"Cao","year":"2009","journal-title":"Remote Sens. Environ."},{"key":"ref_26","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"277","DOI":"10.1016\/j.rse.2005.02.002","article-title":"Spatial analysis of global urban extent from DMSP-OLS night lights","volume":"96","author":"Small","year":"2005","journal-title":"Remote Sens. Environ."},{"key":"ref_27","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"1695","DOI":"10.1016\/j.biocon.2008.04.025","article-title":"The implications of current and future urbanization for global protected areas and biodiversity conservation","volume":"141","author":"McDonald","year":"2008","journal-title":"Biol. Conserv."},{"key":"ref_28","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","unstructured":"Sutton, P., Taylor, M., and Elvidge, C.D. (2010). Using DMSP-OLS imagery to characterize urban populations in developed and developing countries. Remote Sensing of Urban and Suburban Areas, Springer.","DOI":"10.1007\/978-1-4020-4385-7_17"},{"key":"ref_29","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"647","DOI":"10.1080\/01431160802345685","article-title":"Spatial characterization of electrical power consumption patterns over India using temporal DMSP-OLS night-time satellite data","volume":"30","author":"Chand","year":"2009","journal-title":"Int. J. Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_30","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"4756","DOI":"10.1016\/j.enpol.2009.08.021","article-title":"Regional variations in spatial structure of nightlights, population density and fossil-fuel CO2 emissions","volume":"38","author":"Raupach","year":"2010","journal-title":"Energy Policy"},{"key":"ref_31","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"57","DOI":"10.1016\/j.jenvman.2005.05.015","article-title":"Modelling of light pollution in suburban areas using remotely sensed imagery and GIS","volume":"79","author":"Chalkias","year":"2006","journal-title":"J. Environ. Manag."},{"key":"ref_32","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"2123","DOI":"10.1080\/01431160600810609","article-title":"Active forest fire monitoring in Uttaranchal State, India using multi-temporal DMSP-OLS and MODIS data","volume":"28","author":"Chand","year":"2007","journal-title":"Int. J. Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_33","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"196","DOI":"10.1016\/j.fishres.2007.11.027","article-title":"Remotely sensed spatial dynamics of the Illex argentinus, fishery, Southwest Atlantic","volume":"91","author":"Waluda","year":"2008","journal-title":"Fish. Res."},{"key":"ref_34","first-page":"891","article-title":"Quantification of trace gas emissions from shifting cultivation areas using remote sensing and ground based measurements","volume":"92","author":"Chand","year":"2007","journal-title":"Curr. Sci. (India)"},{"key":"ref_35","unstructured":"(2017, November 02). Beijing (capital of People\u2019s Republic of China)_Baidu Encyclopedia. Available online: https:\/\/baike.baidu.com\/item\/%E5%8C%97%E4%BA%AC\/128981?fr=aladdin&fromid=126069&fromtitle=%E5%8C%97%E4%BA%AC%E5%B8%82."},{"key":"ref_36","unstructured":"(2017, November 01). Beijing Statistical Yearbook, Available online: http:\/\/www.bjstats.gov.cn\/nj\/main\/2016-tjnj\/zk\/indexch.htm."},{"key":"ref_37","first-page":"51","article-title":"Exploration of the Development of the Urban-Rural Fringe in Beijing under the New Situation","volume":"4","author":"Hu","year":"2016","journal-title":"Real Estate Inf. China"},{"key":"ref_38","unstructured":"(2017, November 01). Research on Urbanization of Beijing Fringe Area Based on Urban-Rural Fringe. Available online: https:\/\/wenku.baidu.com\/view\/17c6caa4b0717fd5360cdc3b.html."},{"key":"ref_39","doi-asserted-by":"crossref","first-page":"856","DOI":"10.1007\/s11434-006-2006-3","article-title":"Spatial restruction of urbanization in Chinese mainland in 1990s Using DMSP\/OLS night light data and statistical data","volume":"51","author":"He","year":"2006","journal-title":"China Sci. Bull."},{"key":"ref_40","unstructured":"(2016, October 12). Version 4 DMSP-OLS Nighttime Lights Time Series, Available online: https:\/\/ngdc.noaa.gov\/eog\/DMSP\/downloadV4composites.html."},{"key":"ref_41","first-page":"114","article-title":"Development of a 2009 stable lights product using DMSP-OLS data","volume":"30","author":"Baugh","year":"2010","journal-title":"Proc. Asia Pac. Adv. Netw."},{"key":"ref_42","first-page":"199","article-title":"Study on the method of dividing urban and rural transition zones by remote sensing images","volume":"3","author":"Zhang","year":"1999","journal-title":"J. Remote Sens."},{"key":"ref_43","first-page":"98","article-title":"Research on urban-rural-integration area and information extraction based on remote sensing images\u2014A case study of Wuxi","volume":"2","author":"Lv","year":"2004","journal-title":"J. Nanjing Norm. Univ."},{"key":"ref_44","first-page":"697","article-title":"Spatio-temperal characteristics of internal coordination of intensive urban land use: A case study of the downtown of Wuhan","volume":"34","author":"Fan","year":"2014","journal-title":"Sci. Geogr."},{"key":"ref_45","first-page":"562","article-title":"Coupling mechanism and space-time coordination of new-approach urbanization, New-approach industrialization and service industry modernization in Megacity Behemoths: A case study of ten cities in China","volume":"33","author":"Zhang","year":"2013","journal-title":"Sci. Geogr."},{"key":"ref_46","first-page":"45","article-title":"Review on applications of DMSP\/OLS Night-time emissions data","volume":"26","author":"Yang","year":"2011","journal-title":"Remote Sens. Technol. Appl."},{"key":"ref_47","unstructured":"Bai, T., Zheng, X., and Yang, X. (2010). The study of the division of the rural-urban fringe based on residential area density. Exploitation and Utilization of Land Resources and Coordinated Development of Human and Land in Mountain Areas of China, Geospatial Information."},{"key":"ref_48","first-page":"24","article-title":"Research on land use and development mode of Beijing urban fringe under the \u201cGreen Divided\u201d policy","volume":"21","author":"Zeng","year":"2014","journal-title":"Urban Stud."},{"key":"ref_49","first-page":"61","article-title":"Development and enlightenment of urban and rural fringe of Beijing","volume":"1","author":"Qi","year":"2007","journal-title":"Urban Probl."}],"container-title":["Remote Sensing"],"original-title":[],"language":"en","link":[{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-4292\/9\/11\/1141\/pdf","content-type":"unspecified","content-version":"vor","intended-application":"similarity-checking"}],"deposited":{"date-parts":[[2025,10,11]],"date-time":"2025-10-11T18:48:27Z","timestamp":1760208507000},"score":1,"resource":{"primary":{"URL":"https:\/\/www.mdpi.com\/2072-4292\/9\/11\/1141"}},"subtitle":[],"short-title":[],"issued":{"date-parts":[[2017,11,7]]},"references-count":49,"journal-issue":{"issue":"11","published-online":{"date-parts":[[2017,11]]}},"alternative-id":["rs9111141"],"URL":"https:\/\/doi.org\/10.3390\/rs9111141","relation":{},"ISSN":["2072-4292"],"issn-type":[{"value":"2072-4292","type":"electronic"}],"subject":[],"published":{"date-parts":[[2017,11,7]]}}}