Spatiotemporal differences and influencing factors of urban vitality and urban expansion coupling coordination in the Pearl River Delta
Zhenjie Liao, Shan Liang
Abstract
The Pearl River Delta (PRD) urban agglomeration is a hotspot of rapid economic development in China, and it is essential to examine the coupling relationship between the region's urban dynamics and urban expansion to promote rational urban development. This study uses nighttime lighting data from the United States Defense Meteorological Satellite-Operation Linescan System and the NASA/NOAA Suomi National Polar-orbiting Partnership-Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite as data sources to measure the urban built-up area of the PRD urban agglomeration from 1992 to 2021 and analyzes the dynamics of urban expansion and its evolutionary characteristics using the urban expansion rate index and other relevant data. We apply the entropy value method and coupling coordination degree model to assess urban vitality and the corresponding urban vitality and urban sprawl coupling relationship. The results show that during the study period, the urban built-up area of the PRD urban agglomeration increased by 61,131.59 km 2 , urban vitality gradually increased each year, the coupling coordination between urban vitality and urban expansion gradually increased, and factors such as economic development, urban planning, and geographical location advantages also influenced changes in urban vitality and urban expansion and their coupling and coordination in the study area. This study provides a methodological reference and data support for the investigating the spatiotemporal evolution of urban agglomerations and urban vitality analysis.