Usage of Vertical Fisheye-Images to Quantify Urban Light Pollution on Small Scales and the Impact of LED Conversion

Author(s)
Stefan Wallner
Abstract

The aim of this work was to develop an easy and quick technique for characterizing various lighting situations, that is, single lamps or illuminated signs and to quantify impacts on small scales like streets, buildings and near areas. The method uses a DSLR-camera equipped with fisheye-lens and the software Sky Quality Camera, both commonly used as part of night sky imagery in the light pollution community, to obtain information about luminance and correlated colour temperature. As a difference to its usual build-up, observed light emitting sources were captured by pointing the camera towards analysed objects, that is, images were taken via vertical plane imaging with very short exposure times under one second. Results have proven that this technique provides a practical way to quantify the lighting efficacy in a certain place or area, as a quantitative analysis of the direct emission towards the observer and the illumination on surroundings, that is, street surfaces, sidewalks and buildings, was performed. When conducting lamp conversions, the method can be used to characterize the gradient of change and could be a useful tool for municipalities to find the optimal lighting solution. The paper shows examples of different lighting situations like single lamps of different types, also containing various luminaires, illuminated billboards or buildings and impacts of the lighting transition to LEDs in the city of Eisenstadt, Austria. The horizontal fisheye method is interdisciplinary applicable, for example, being suitable for lighting management, to sustainability and energy saving purposes.

Organisation(s)
Conference and Event Management, Department of Astrophysics
External organisation(s)
Slovak Academy of Sciences (SAS)
Journal
Journal of Imaging
Volume
5
No. of pages
24
ISSN
2313-433X
DOI
https://doi.org/10.3390/jimaging5110086
Publication date
11-2019
Peer reviewed
Yes
Austrian Fields of Science 2012
103003 Astronomy, 103004 Astrophysics
Keywords
ASJC Scopus subject areas
Electrical and Electronic Engineering, Radiology Nuclear Medicine and imaging, Computer Vision and Pattern Recognition, Computer Graphics and Computer-Aided Design
Sustainable Development Goals
SDG 11 - Sustainable Cities and Communities
Portal url
https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/4beef996-c5ad-4d4f-9fd8-cc7584c30ef6