Satellite-based analysis of light pollution in Slovenia for the period 2013–2022

Gašparič, Juš (author), Potočnik Buhvald, Ana (author), Petrovič, Dušan (author)

Light pollution is a serious global issue that negatively affects human health, the environment, and wildlife, while also causing unnecessary energy consumption. Using satellite imagery from the S-NPP and NOAA-20 satellites, obtained via the Google Earth Engine platform, we analysed the situation in Slovenia from 2013 to 2022. Image processing involved inverse distance weighting interpolation and the kernel density estimation method. With time series we showed trends and ranges in the six major urban areas and with heat maps their spatial distribution. Special attention was given to the period of COVID-19 pandemic in 2020 by comparing the data with those from previous and subsequent years. The results revealed a slight overall increase in light pollution, consistent with global trends.

• Language: English
• Keywords: light pollution, spatial analysis, heat map, time series, VIIRS, Slovenian cities
• Work type: Article
• Typology: 1.01 - Original Scientific Article
• Organization: FGG - Faculty of Civil and Geodetic Engineering
• Publication status: Published
• Publication version: Version of Record
• Year: 2026
• Number of pages: Str. 147–177
• Numbering: Vol. 66, no. 1
• PID: 20.500.12556/RUL-186142
• UDC: 528.7(497.4)
• ISSN on article: 1581-8314
• DOI: 10.3986/AGS.14686
• COBISS.SI-ID: 289084419
• Publication date in RUL: 27.08.2026

Record is a part of a journal

• Title: Acta geographica Slovenica
• Publisher: Geografski inštitut Antona Melika
• ISSN: 1581-8314
• COBISS.SI-ID: 127804160

Licences

• License: CC BY-SA 4.0, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International
• Link: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/
• Description: This Creative Commons license is very similar to the regular Attribution license, but requires the release of all derivative works under this same license.

Secondary language

• Language: Slovenian
• Title: Analiza svetlobnega onesnaženja v Sloveniji med letoma 2013 in 2022 na osnovisatelitskih posnetkov

Abstract

Svetlobno onesnaženje je resen globalni problem, ki negativno vpliva na zdravje ljudi, okol-je in živali ter povzroča nepotrebno energetsko porabo. Z uporabo satelitskih posnetkov satelitov S-NPPin NOAA-20, pridobljenih prek platforme Google Earth Engine, smo analizirali stanje v Sloveniji med letoma2013 in 2022. Posnetke smo obdelali z interpolacijo inverzne utežne razdalje in metodo ocene gostote jedra.S časovnimi vrstami smo prikazali trende in razpone na šestih večjih mestnih območjih, s kartami pojavnos-ti pa njihovo prostorsko razporeditev. Posebno pozornost smo namenili obdobju pandemije COVID-19leta 2020 ter primerjali podatke z leti pred in po pandemiji. Rezultati kažejo rahlo splošno povečanje svet-lobnega onesnaženja, kar je skladno z globalnimi trendi.

• Keywords: svetlobno onesnaževanje, prostorske analize, toplotna karta, časovne vrste, VIIRS, slovenska mesta