A recent study by two economists using nightime lights captured by satellites from outer space has sought to establish the measure of economic inequality in India. While the researchers argue it is a conclusive way of measuring economic activity in different regions, there are many who disagree.

Economists Praveen Chakravarty and Vivek Dehejia acquired images grabbed by satellites from the US Air Force Defense Meteorological Satellite and superimposed a map of India with its districts clearly bifurcated on the image to develop a unique data set of luminosity values district-wise over a period of time to get the results.

These satellites whose images have been used for the research circle the earth 14 times a day and record lights from the earth's surface at night with sensors.

The two Indian economists studied 387 of 640 districts in 12 states of India. These districts in total account for 85% of India's population and 80% of its GDP. With the study, the economists documented income divergence in India.

The findings were that 380 districts in 12 states were on average just a fifth as bright as the big cities of Mumbai and Bangalore. It also said that 90% of all the districts are just a third as bright at night as the top 10% of all districts. And the ratio worsened between 1992 and 2013.

By 2014, the economists found, the average person in the three richest states (Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Maharashtra) was three times as rich as the average person in the three poorest states (Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, and Madhya Pradesh), the AFP reported.

There are many who have challenged the study. Member of Parliament and former Indian UN diplomat Shashi Tharoor tweeted saying that at night there is no economic activity.

Rural areas are not densely populated and hence the study's premise is wrong, argued another Twitter user.

Source: Sputnik News

Related Links
ISRO
Earth Observation News - Suppiliers, Technology and Application

Tweet

Thanks for being here; We need your help. The Space Media Network continues to grow but revenues have never been harder to maintain. With the rise of Ad Blockers, and Facebook - our traditional revenue sources via quality network advertising continues to decline. And unlike so many other news sites, we don't have a paywall - with those annoying usernames and passwords. Our news coverage takes time and effort to publish 365 days a year. If you find our news sites informative and useful then please consider becoming a regular supporter or for now make a one off contribution.
SpaceMediaNetwork Contributor $5 Billed Once credit card or paypal		SpaceMediaNetwork Monthly Supporter $5 Billed Monthly paypal only

The case of the relativistic particles solved with NASA missions
Greenbelt MD (SPX) May 30, 2018
Encircling Earth are two enormous rings - called the Van Allen radiation belts - of highly energized ions and electrons. Various processes can accelerate these particles to relativistic speeds, which endanger spacecraft unlucky enough to enter these giant bands of damaging radiation. Scientists had previously identified certain factors that might cause particles in the belts to become highly energized, but they had not known which cause dominates. Now, with new research from NASA's Van Allen Probe ... read more