Light Pollution Assessment in Critical Astronomical Areas of Northern Chile Using Satellite Remote Sensing and Big Data Analysis
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.23854/07199562.2026622.ruizKeywords:
light pollution, astronomical observatories, satellite remote sensing, VIIRS-DNB, dark sky conservationAbstract
This study quantitatively assessed the evolution of light pollution in the surroundings of the Cerro Paranal and ALMA astronomical observatories, located in northern Chile, from 2014 to 2024. To achieve this, satellite data from the VIIRS-DNB sensor were used, processed through Google Earth Engine, generating time series of artificial radiance corrected for natural background levels. Concentric buffers of 10, 25, 50, 100, and 150 km were defined around both observatories, and annual average radiance values were calculated by applying zonal statistics methods and standardized quality filters. The results revealed a sustained increase in artificial radiance in both areas, particularly in the nearest buffers: at Cerro Paranal, the increase reached up to 470 % within the 10 km zone, while at ALMA it reached 12 000 %, mainly attributed to the expansion of urban, mining, and energy infrastructure. Significant changes were identified starting in 2020, coinciding with the development of megaprojects and improvements in sensor sensitivity. The methodology proved to be effective, reproducible, and scalable for monitoring spatial trends in remote areas. However, the findings also highlight the urgent need to update light pollution regulations, expand astronomical protection perimeters, and establish stricter criteria in the environmental assessment of new projects, integrating remote sensing tools into land-use and environmental planning to preserve dark skies as a scientific, cultural, and ecological heritage.
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