Multi-Level Morphometric Characterization of Built-up Areas and Change Detection in Siberian Sub-Arctic Urban Area: Yakutsk

Abstract

Recognition and characterization of built-up areas in the Siberian sub-Arctic urban territories of Yakutsk are dependent on two main factors: (1) the season (snow and ice from October to the end of April, the flooding period in May, and the summertime), which influences the accuracy of urban object detection, and (2) the urban structure, which influences the morphological recognition and characterization of built-up areas. In this study, high repetitiveness remote sensing Sentinel-2A and SPOT 6 high-resolution satellite images were combined to characterize and detect urban built-up areas over the city of Yakutsk. High temporal resolution of Sentinel-2A allows land use change detection and metric spatial resolution of SPOT 6 allows the characterization of built-up areas’ socioeconomic functions and uses.