Population estimation from Landsat imagery

The paper introduces a method of population estimation using the Landsat MSS data. The radiance in the four spectral bands, detected by the multi spectral scanner (MSS) depends upon the ground covering materials, albeit the land use of the area. A mathematical model is set up to express the relation between the reflected electromagnetic energy of sample areas and their population distribution. Landsat 1 and Landsat 3 data of the Kanto area (including Tokyo Metropolitan), acquired in 1972 and 1979, are used along with ground-based census data of 1970 and 1975 to monitor the population distribution and its temporal changes. The method provided a reliable assessment of the population density in residential zones, however land-use classification using MSS imagery previous to the modeling is expected to improve the results.