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Mobile phone usage in complex urban systems: a space–time, aggregated human activity study

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Abstract

The present study aims to demonstrate the importance of digital data for investigating space–time dynamics of aggregated human activity in urban systems. Such dynamics can be monitored and modelled using data from mobile phone operators regarding mobile telephone usage. Using such an extensive dataset from the city of Amsterdam, this paper introduces space–time explanatory models of aggregated human activity patterns. Various modelling experiments and results are presented, which demonstrate that mobile telephone data are a good proxy of the space–time dynamics of aggregated human activity in the city.

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Notes

  1. The initial data was provided at a 6-digit post code level (CBS 2012) and then aggregated to the GSM areas.

  2. The data only includes mobile phone usage for 11 months for 2010 and one month is excluded due to co-linearity.

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Acknowledgments

This research is funded by the Urban Regions in the Delta programme, Netherlands Organisation for Scientific Research (NWO) and by the Dutch Ministry of Infrastructure and the Environment (RWS). The authors would also like to acknowledge the support of John Steenbruggen for his help with data acquisition.

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Correspondence to Emmanouil Tranos.

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Appendices

Appendix 1

figure a

Average car flow in Amsterdam motorways per hour in 2010. Source (NDW 2012)

Appendix 2

Estimation of (4) based on OLS

Time

Land use

Non-working days

Working days

Land use

Non-working days

Working days

00

Habitants (ln)

0.082***

0.083***

Industrial (share)

−1.037***

−1.246***

 

(40.24)

(60.56)

(−20.39)

(36.44)

01

0.080***

0.070***

−1.746***

−2.282***

 

(39.35)

(50.78)

(−34.32)

(66.35)

02

0.066***

0.045***

−2.523***

−3.394***

 

(32.42)

(32.87)

(−49.33)

(99.17)

03

0.059***

0.024***

−3.376***

−4.388***

 

(28.75)

(17.81)

(−66.37)

(128.27)

04

0.053***

0.007***

−3.716***

−4.491***

 

(25.99)

(4.78)

(−73.06)

(131.32)

05

0.038***

−0.002*

−3.794***

−3.248***

 

(18.58)

(−1.75)

(−74.6)

(95)

06

0.020***

0.016***

−3.490***

−1.079***

 

(9.97)

(11.52)

(−68.62)

(31.56)

07

0.020***

0.048***

−2.671***

0.803***

 

(9.88)

(35.15)

(−52.52)

(23.48)

08

0.041***

0.070***

−1.662***

2.078***

 

(19.89)

(51.05)

(−32.48)

(60.68)

09

0.068***

0.085***

−0.558***

2.841***

 

(33.1)

(61.99)

(−10.91)

(83.1)

10

0.087***

0.092***

0.134***

3.103***

 

(42.69)

(67.14)

(2.63)

(90.74)

11

0.099***

0.094***

0.501***

3.191***

 

(48.14)

(69.03)

(9.8)

(93.3)

12

0.103***

0.096***

0.677***

3.120***

 

(50.25)

(70.17)

(13.25)

(91.23)

13

0.102***

0.096***

0.652***

3.181***

 

(50.06)

(70.25)

(12.75)

(93.03)

14

0.101***

0.096***

0.541***

3.173***

 

(49.28)

(70.45)

(10.58)

(92.98)

15

0.101***

0.096***

0.518***

3.096***

 

(49.18)

(70.26)

(10.13)

(90.57)

16

0.099***

0.098***

0.432***

2.929***

 

(48.57)

(72.09)

(8.44)

(86.26)

17

0.100***

0.100***

0.379***

2.549***

 

(48.93)

(73.48)

(7.42)

(75.07)

18

0.100***

0.099***

0.307***

1.887***

 

(49)

(73.07)

(6.01)

(55.59)

19

0.102***

0.099***

0.282***

1.415***

 

(49.86)

(73.02)

(5.51)

(41.59)

20

0.107***

0.106***

0.354***

1.167***

 

(52.15)

(78.18)

(6.88)

(34.3)

21

0.109***

0.112***

0.178***

1.021***

 

(53.46)

(81.85)

(3.49)

(29.93)

22

0.102***

0.105***

−0.121**

0.608***

 

(49.89)

(77.18)

(−2.37)

(17.79)

23

0.094***

0.096***

−0.583***

−0.088**

 

(45.7)

(70.41)

(−11.4)

(2.57)

00

Railways (share)

1.869***

1.653***

Business (share)

−1.465***

−1.860***

 

(14.04)

(18.54)

(−26.08)

(49.33)

01

1.465***

0.785***

−2.502***

−3.183***

 

(11.01)

(8.77)

(−44.41)

(83.86)

02

0.534***

−0.261***

−3.372***

−4.349***

 

(3.99)

(−2.93)

(−59.71)

(115.12)

03

−0.073

−1.269***

−3.815***

−5.132***

 

(−0.55)

(−14.24)

(−67.91)

(135.84)

04

−0.242*

−1.242***

−4.529***

−5.526***

 

(−1.82)

(−13.94)

(−80.61)

(146.2)

05

−0.576***

−0.922***

−4.737***

−5.289***

 

(−4.33)

(−10.35)

(−84.33)

(139.53)

06

−0.287**

−0.249***

−4.706***

−3.633***

 

(−2.15)

(−2.79)

(−83.59)

(96.34)

07

−0.253*

1.378***

−3.508***

−0.546***

 

(−1.9)

(15.44)

(−62.45)

(14.47)

08

0.092

2.773***

−2.015***

1.480***

 

(0.68)

(31.09)

(−35.56)

(39.17)

09

0.850***

3.574***

−0.739***

2.431***

 

(6.35)

(40.11)

(−13.09)

(64.46)

10

1.747***

3.866***

0.167***

2.681***

 

(13.06)

(43.43)

(2.95)

(71.13)

11

2.297***

4.077***

0.620***

2.795***

 

(17.16)

(45.76)

(10.97)

(74.11)

12

2.550***

4.097***

0.848***

2.712***

 

(19.06)

(45.98)

(15.02)

(71.88)

13

2.689***

4.202***

0.847***

2.758***

 

(20.1)

(47.19)

(15)

(73.18)

14

2.725***

4.178***

0.724***

2.785***

 

(20.36)

(47.03)

(12.81)

(73.98)

15

2.719***

4.239***

0.606***

2.741***

 

(20.32)

(47.61)

(10.74)

(72.75)

16

2.732***

4.307***

0.615***

2.616***

 

(20.42)

(48.69)

(10.9)

(69.86)

17

2.786***

4.486***

0.655***

2.501***

 

(20.82)

(50.71)

(11.59)

(66.77)

18

2.739***

4.211***

0.408***

2.128***

 

(20.47)

(47.6)

(7.23)

(56.83)

19

2.623***

3.562***

0.210***

1.522***

 

(19.6)

(40.17)

(3.72)

(40.53)

20

2.519***

3.314***

−0.004

1.026***

 

(18.73)

(37.38)

(−0.06)

(27.33)

21

2.547***

3.213***

0.042

0.893***

 

(19.04)

(36.13)

(0.74)

(23.7)

22

2.409***

2.966***

−0.276***

0.583***

 

(18)

(33.35)

(−4.89)

(15.5)

23

2.103***

2.474***

−0.941***

−0.300***

 

(15.72)

(27.78)

(−16.66)

(7.98)

00

Motorways (share)

−0.974***

−1.584***

City centre (share)

1.533***

1.166***

 

(−8.48)

(−20.59)

(52.2)

(58.84)

01

−3.754***

−4.354***

0.888***

0.231***

 

(−32.68)

(−56.19)

(30.21)

(11.57)

02

−4.893***

−6.067***

0.479***

−0.477***

 

(−42.37)

(−78.71)

(16.23)

(24.04)

03

−5.713***

−7.045***

0.184***

−0.890***

 

(−49.73)

(−91.43)

(6.28)

(44.91)

04

−6.086***

−7.468***

−0.134***

−1.200***

 

(−52.99)

(−96.96)

(4.55)

(60.51)

05

−6.078***

−6.590***

−0.490***

−1.683***

 

(−52.91)

(−85.56)

(16.68)

(84.87)

06

−5.678***

−2.110***

−1.039***

−0.890***

 

(−49.43)

(−27.4)

(35.39)

(44.92)

07

−4.058***

1.100***

−0.773***

0.607***

 

(−35.33)

(14.27)

(26.33)

(30.58)

08

−2.276***

4.073***

0.163***

1.825***

 

(−19.69)

(52.82)

(5.52)

(91.98)

09

−0.707***

4.796***

1.099***

2.518***

 

(−6.12)

(62.28)

(37.22)

(127.03)

10

0.453***

4.814***

1.794***

2.810***

 

(3.92)

(62.53)

(60.76)

(141.79)

11

1.162***

4.938***

2.196***

2.958***

 

(10.06)

(64.11)

(74.34)

(149.16)

12

1.515***

4.991***

2.397***

2.992***

 

(13.12)

(64.8)

(81.15)

(150.91)

13

1.580***

5.048***

2.459***

3.021***

 

(13.68)

(65.56)

(83.27)

(152.5)

14

1.543***

5.086***

2.450***

3.019***

 

(13.36)

(66.18)

(82.97)

(152.63)

15

1.450***

5.231***

2.437***

3.024***

 

(12.56)

(67.93)

(82.53)

(152.65)

16

1.479***

5.420***

2.445***

3.022***

 

(12.8)

(70.88)

(82.8)

(153.51)

17

1.607***

5.718***

2.440***

3.047***

 

(13.92)

(74.77)

(82.62)

(154.76)

18

1.516***

5.084***

2.369***

2.974***

 

(13.13)

(66.48)

(80.24)

(151.06)

19

1.221***

3.684***

2.229***

2.759***

 

(10.58)

(48.07)

(75.48)

(139.83)

20

1.162***

2.754***

2.166***

2.632***

 

(10.01)

(35.93)

(72.97)

(133.4)

21

0.941***

2.495***

2.138***

2.599***

 

(8.15)

(32.48)

(72.41)

(131.32)

22

0.531***

1.986***

1.983***

2.436***

 

(4.6)

(25.83)

(67.16)

(123.14)

23

−0.224*

0.765***

1.684***

2.004***

 

(−1.94)

(9.94)

(57.02)

(101.21)

00

Retail (share)

2.031***

1.249***

Outer city centre (share)

1.351***

1.310***

 

(60.65)

(54.87)

(43.52)

(62.8)

01

1.566***

0.605***

0.809***

0.533***

 

(46.76)

(26.47)

(26.05)

(25.39)

02

1.173***

−0.021

0.291***

−0.202***

 

(34.85)

(−0.94)

(9.33)

(9.68)

03

0.686***

−0.642***

−0.188***

−0.823***

 

(20.49)

(−28.27)

(6.05)

(39.44)

04

0.279***

−1.386***

−0.620***

−1.230***

 

(8.32)

(−61.01)

(19.97)

(58.95)

05

−0.306***

−2.617***

−0.942***

−1.342***

 

(−9.13)

(−115.19)

(30.34)

(64.33)

06

−1.408***

−2.153***

−1.029***

−0.696***

 

(−42.03)

(−94.76)

(33.16)

(33.39)

07

−1.346***

−0.238***

−0.549***

0.467***

 

(−40.21)

(−10.48)

(17.69)

(22.36)

08

−0.639***

0.990***

0.363***

1.524***

 

(−18.91)

(43.49)

(11.63)

(72.94)

09

0.410***

1.918***

1.222***

2.064***

 

(12.17)

(84.39)

(39.15)

(98.93)

10

1.341***

2.464***

1.805***

2.294***

 

(39.82)

(108.45)

(57.87)

(109.99)

11

1.968***

2.773***

2.131***

2.403***

 

(58.45)

(122.02)

(68.29)

(115.16)

12

2.441***

2.994***

2.263***

2.427***

 

(72.51)

(131.68)

(72.52)

(116.29)

13

2.688***

3.120***

2.252***

2.415***

 

(79.82)

(137.5)

(72.17)

(115.81)

14

2.826***

3.174***

2.188***

2.403***

 

(83.94)

(139.94)

(70.14)

(115.42)

15

2.949***

3.238***

2.129***

2.428***

 

(87.61)

(142.65)

(68.25)

(116.43)

16

2.994***

3.279***

2.127***

2.469***

 

(88.93)

(145.27)

(68.17)

(119.19)

17

2.953***

3.320***

2.155***

2.531***

 

(87.73)

(147.09)

(69.09)

(122.17)

18

2.762***

3.157***

2.135***

2.590***

 

(82.04)

(139.87)

(68.45)

(125.05)

19

2.519***

2.857***

2.119***

2.543***

 

(74.83)

(126.31)

(67.91)

(122.48)

20

2.401***

2.677***

2.133***

2.518***

 

(70.93)

(118.32)

(68)

(121.28)

21

2.279***

2.540***

2.113***

2.506***

 

(67.7)

(111.8)

(67.74)

(120.38)

22

2.148***

2.363***

1.974***

2.341***

 

(63.81)

(104.19)

(63.26)

(112.42)

23

1.950***

2.046***

1.671***

1.938***

  

(57.92)

(90.05)

(53.57)

(92.99)

  

t_sub0

−0.321***

 

March

0.158***

   

(−58.7)

  

−36.14

  

t_0_5

−0.185***

 

April

0.151***

   

(−47.91)

  

−34.23

  

t_5_10

−0.132***

 

May

0.081***

   

(−49.63)

  

−18.43

  

t_15_20

0.079***

 

June

−0.019***

   

(28.21)

  

−3.87

  

t_above20

0.186***

 

July

−0.267***

   

(44.03)

  

−51.22

  

r

0

 

August

−0.277***

   

(0.06)

  

−55.55

  

s

0.037***

 

September

−0.096***

   

(5.48)

  

−20.84

  

area_ln

0.648***

 

October

−0.041***

   

(573.58)

  

−9.4

  

January

0.284***

 

November

Omitted

   

(45.35)

 

Constant

−8.586***

  

February

0.233***

  

−576.32

   

(46.86)

 

R-squared

0.7

     

N

1,874,207

  1. t test in parentheses, variables starting with t indicate temperature dummies, r is rain, s is snow and area_ln is the natural logarithm of the area of the GSM cell; months indicate dummies for the different months

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Tranos, E., Nijkamp, P. Mobile phone usage in complex urban systems: a space–time, aggregated human activity study. J Geogr Syst 17, 157–185 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10109-015-0211-9

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10109-015-0211-9

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