Nighttime Lights of the World

Preview Images
Product:   Region: Download   Download Global Product in GEO-TIFF format, (43200w x 21600h) year 1993 F1F101993.cloud1.light1.round.byte.tfw F1F101993.cloud1.light1.round.byte.tif.gz (~89Mb) year 2003 F152003.cloud1.light1.round.byte.tfw F152003.cloud1.light1.round.byte.tif.gz (~52Mb)		Legend for image Nighttime lights percentage Difference        new lights        high intensity increased        low intensity increased        high intensity unchanged        average intensity unchanged        low intensity unchanged        low intensity decreased        high intensity decreased        extinct lights

The Nighttime Lights of the World dataset contains the first satellite-based global inventory of human settlements,derived from nighttime data from the Defense Meteorological SatelliteProgram (DMSP) Operational Linescan System (OLS). The DMSP-OLS has the unique capability to observe faint sourcesof visible-near infrared emissions present at the Earth's surface, including cities, towns, villages, gas flares,and fires. NGDC has developed algorithms for producing georeferenced fire and nighttime lights products.

For specific information on algorithms and dataset production, see our references page.
Send questions or comments about the Nighttime Lights program to dmsp@ngdc.noaa.gov

Last updated: October, 2004