Light pollution in India: appraisal of artificial night sky brightness of cities

Abstract

The spectacular progress of lighting equipment in recent decades has resulted in an enormous increase in outdoor lights and night-sky brightness which is the most noticeable effects of light pollution has increased rapidly in many countries. Any pollution is a consequence of urbanization forces, which correspond to a significant threat to human health and the environment. Despite the increasing awareness and interest, there is a need for quantification of light pollution at a national and local scale. In developing nations like India, the supremacy of basic issues often undermines the new-found urban problems that have the potential of affecting the environment at a larger scale. Light pollution is one such predicament that needs a response. This study intends to mark the fundamental concept of light pollution, its impacts, and develop an atlas of the ten most populated Indian cities following the magnitude of their brightness computed using high-resolution satellite data. It also attempts to relate the degree of brightness of these cities with safety in cities, which is the primary purpose of lighting at night, also taking into account various factors that may impact the night time lighting and safety in urban areas. According to the study, street lights installed in a city exhibit a considerable correlation with the brightness levels of the cities, which may point towards a significant source of light pollution in cities. The paper concludes with a discussion of some best practices in the context of light pollution and the scope for further investigation.