CHATER TWO LITETITURE REVIEW TABLE OF CONTENTS 2.0 LITERATURE REVIEW 2.1 Definition of sprawl 2.1.1 Distinction between growth and sprawl 2.1.2 Spatial forms of sprawl 2.1.3 Some consequences of sprawl 2.1.4 Visualization of urban sprawl 2.2 Landsat satellite data and change detection 2.3. Classification change detection 2.3.1 Change detection 2.1 Definition of sprawl Definitions of sprawl vary; researchers in the field acknowledge that the term lacks precision (Wikipedia). Batty et al. defined sprawl as uncoordinated growth of urban areas and the expansion of communities without concern for its consequences, in short, it is unplanned, incremental urban growth which is often regarded unsustainable. Bhatta et al. wrote in 2010 that despite a dispute over the precise definition of sprawl there is a general consensus that urban sprawl is characterized by [an] unplanned and uneven pattern of growth, driven by multitude of processes and leading to inefficient resource utilization. Therefor the definition depends on the perspective of the one defining it. According to the Concise Oxford English Dictionary (2004), the word sprawl refers ‘to spread out or stretch out (something) in a wide or straggling manner’. In the same vain, Microsoft Encarta 2009 defines sprawl as …show more content…
Essentially, it involves the ability to quantify temporal effects using multi-temporal data (Singh, 1989). RS provides a viable source of data from which updated land-cover information can be extracted efficiently and cheaply (Sudhira et al., 2001). It assists in monitoring changes effectively (Sudhira et al., 2003). Thus change detection has become a major application of remotely sensed data because of repetitive coverage at short intervals and consistent image quality (Mas,