
Nigel Lawton
Academic and research departments
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of Engineering and Physical Sciences.About
My research project
The analysis of urban growth and surface permeability informed by Earth Observation dataUrban growth and the associated reduction in surface permeability affects the hydrological cycle and can increase flood risk. Understanding past and future patterns of urban growth is therefore an important aspect of flood risk management. Earth observation data is widely used to classify urban land. However, when classified maps are used to characterise change over time, the uncertainty of the classification can hinder meaningful analysis.
This study aims to improve the mapping and analysis of patterns of urban growth, by using and developing methods for classification and pattern analysis that exploit the longitudinal nature of time series of earth observation imagery and are thereby less sensitive to inherent uncertainty.
Supervisors
Urban growth and the associated reduction in surface permeability affects the hydrological cycle and can increase flood risk. Understanding past and future patterns of urban growth is therefore an important aspect of flood risk management. Earth observation data is widely used to classify urban land. However, when classified maps are used to characterise change over time, the uncertainty of the classification can hinder meaningful analysis.
This study aims to improve the mapping and analysis of patterns of urban growth, by using and developing methods for classification and pattern analysis that exploit the longitudinal nature of time series of earth observation imagery and are thereby less sensitive to inherent uncertainty.