Analyzing urban sprawl using multi-temporal and multi-source geospatial data fusion

Rapid urban sprawl and unmonitored urbanization of the peri-urban environment are impor-tant challenges for land managers and urban planners in many Asian cities. Several studies show the potential of remote sensing techniques for monitoring the impact of urban expan-sion on physical and ecological sources over time (e.g. Haack et al. 1997, Jensen et al. 1999, Weng 2008). However, many methodological issues remain: one is the aspect of proper measurement and quantification of urban growth, with landscape metrics offering a possible geo-statistical solution. Another issue stems from the fact that convenient remote sensing data is only available for a rather short period of time, while historical land-cover changes derived from analogue maps could further enhance the assessment of urbanization patterns.