Research Interests:

The population-environment-development problematic that is strongly associated with the idea of ‘sustainable development’ remains with us today despite the pioneering works of Malthus, Hardin, Erhlich, Smil, Boserup, and countless others. Until only recently, research into the ‘sustainability’ problematic has not used the triumvarate power of remote sensing, geographic information science, and statistics to map, measure, and analyze the dynamics of human-environment relations. The broad problems outlined by these pioneers now have to be dealt with more specifically. My research focuses on three particular areas: Urbanization, Spatial Demography, and Carrying Capacity. In addition, the approach I take toward these problems is strongly influenced by recent developments in remote sensing (empirical measurements), geographic information science (analytical capability), and the inferential potential of statistics (theory).

Selected Publications:

• Tom Cova, Paul C. Sutton, Dave Theobald (2004) Exurban change detection in fire-prone areas with nighttime satellite imagery Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing 70(11) pp 1249-1257
• Elvidge, Chris; Milesi, Christina; Dietz, John; Tuttle, Benjamin; Sutton, Paul; Nemani, Ramakrishna; Vogelmann, James; (2004) U.S. Constructed Area Approaches the Size of Ohio EOS 85(24) pp 233-234
• Paul C. Sutton (2003) A scale-adjusted measure of Urban Sprawl using nighttime satellite imagery Remote Sensing of Environment 86 pp 353-369
• Paul C. Sutton, Chris Elvidge, Tom Obremski (2003) Building and Evaluating Models to Estimate Ambient Population Density Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing 69(5) pp 545-553
• Sutton, Paul; (2003) An Empirical Environmental Sustainability Index derived solely from Nighttime Satellite Imagery and Ecosystem Service Values 2003 Population and Environment 24(4)
• Sutton, Paul; Costanza Robert; (2002) Global estimates of market and non-market values derived from nighttime satellite imagery, land use, and ecosystem service valuation Ecological Economics (41) pp 509-527
• Keri M. Konarska , Paul C. Sutton , Michael J. Castellon (2002) Evaluating scale dependence of ecosystem service valuation: A comparison of NOAA-AVHRR and Landsat TM datasets Ecological Economics (41) pp 491-507
• Sutton, P; Roberts, D; Elvidge, C; Baugh, K; (2001) Census from Heaven: An estimate of the global human population using nighttime satellite imagery International Journal of Remote Sensing Vol 22 (16) pp 3061-3076
• Sutton, P; Montello, D; (2000) Public Opinion of Population Issues: A survey of Voters The Southwestern Geographer Vol 4 pp54-93
• Elvidge, C.D.; Baugh, K.E.; Dietz, J.; Bland, T; Sutton, P.C.; Kroehl, H.W.; (1998) Radiance calibration of DMSP-OLS low-light imaging data of human settlements Remote Sensing of Environment May 6th 1998
• Costanza, R., R. d'Arge, R. de Groot, S. Farber, M. Grasso, B. Hannon, S. Naeem, K. Limburg, J. Paruelo, R.V. O'Neill, R. Raskin, P. Sutton, and M. van den Belt. 1998. Auditing the earth: Costanza and his coauthors reply. Environment 40:26-27.
• Sutton, P; (1997) "Modeling Population Density using Nighttime Satellite Imagery and GIS” Computers, Environment and Urban Systems 21(3/4) pp 227-244
• Sutton, P; Roberts, D; Elvidge, C; and Meij, H; (1997) “A comparison of Nighttime Satellite Imagery and Population Density for the Continental United States” Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing 63 (11) pp 1303-1313
• Costanza, R; d’Arge, R; de Groot, R; Farber, S; Grasso, M; Hannon, B; Naeem, S; Limburg, K; Paruelo, J; O’Neill, R; Raskin, R; Sutton, P; van den Belt, M; (1997) The Value of the World’s Ecosystem Services and Natural Capital Nature Vol 387 May 15
• Robert Costanza; Ralph d'Arge; Rudolf de Groot; Stephen Farber; Monica Grasso; Bruce Hannon; Karin Limburg; Shahid Naeem; Robert V. O'Neill; Jose Paruelo; Robert G. Raskin; Paul Sutton; Marjan van den Belt (1997) The Value of Ecosystem Services: Putting the Issues into Perspective Ecological Economics 25:67-72
• Costanza, R., R. d'Arge, R. de Groot, S. Farber, M. Grasso, B. Hannon, S. Naeem, K. Limburg, J. Paruelo, R.V. O'Neill, R. Raskin, P. Sutton, and M. van den Belt. (1997). Valuing ecosystem services: a response. Regulation 20:2-3
• Elvidge, C.D., Sutton, P.C., Wagner, T.W., Ryznar, R., Goetz, S.J., Smith, A.J., Jantz, C., Seto, K., Imhoff, M.L., Vogelmann, J., Wang, Y.Q., Milesi, C., and Nemani, R., (2004), Urbanization (Chapter 18 in Land Change Science), G. Gutman et al. (eds.) 315-328.
• Costanza, R., R. d'Arge, R. de Groot, S. Farber, M. Grasso, B. Hannon, S. Naeem, K. Limburg, J. Paruelo, R.V. O'Neill, R. Raskin, P. Sutton, and M. van den Belt. 1998. Auditing the earth: Costanza and his coauthors reply. Environment 40:26-27.
• Sutton, P; (1997) “Modeling Population Density using Nighttime Satellite Imagery and GIS” Computers, Environment and Urban Systems 21(3/4) pp 227-244
• Sutton, P; Roberts, D; Elvidge, C; and Meij, H; (1997) “A comparison of Nighttime Satellite Imagery and Population Density for the Continental United States” Photogrammetric Engineering and Remote Sensing 63 (11) pp 1303-1313
• Costanza, R; d’Arge, R; de Groot, R; Farber, S; Grasso, M; Hannon, B; Naeem, S; Limburg, K; Paruelo, J; O’Neill, R; Raskin, R; Sutton, P; van den Belt, M; (1997) The Value of the World’s Ecosystem Services and Natural Capital Nature Vol 387 May 15
• Robert Costanza; Ralph d'Arge; Rudolf de Groot; Stephen Farber; Monica Grasso; Bruce Hannon; Karin Limburg; Shahid Naeem; Robert V. O'Neill; Jose
• Paruelo; Robert G. Raskin; Paul Sutton; Marjan van den Belt (1997) The Value of Ecosystem Services: Putting the Issues into Perspective Ecological Economics 25:67-72
• Costanza, R., R. d'Arge, R. de Groot, S. Farber, M. Grasso, B. Hannon, S. Naeem, K. Limburg, J. Paruelo, R.V. O'Neill, R. Raskin, P. Sutton, and M. van den Belt. (1997). Valuing ecosystem services: a response. Regulation 20:2-3
• Elvidge, C.D., Sutton, P.C., Wagner, T.W., Ryznar, R., Goetz, S.J., Smith, A.J., Jantz, C., Seto, K., Imhoff, M.L., Vogelmann, J., Wang, Y.Q., Milesi, C., and Nemani, R., (2004), Urbanization (Chapter 18 in Land Change Science), G. Gutman et al. (eds.) 315-328
• Sutton, Paul; Taylor, Matthew; Elvidge, Chris; Using DMSP OLS Imagery to Characterize Urban Populations in Developed and Developing Countries (Book Chapter in Remote Sensing of Urban and Suburban areas) Carsten Jurgens and Tarek Rashed Editors Kluwer Academic Press (In Press)
• Paul C. Sutton (2003) Estimation of Human Population Parameters Using Nighttime Satellite Imagery (Book Chapter in Remotely Sensed Cities) Victor Mesev Editor Taylor & Francis ISBN 0 415 26045 0
• Mapping Air Quality Values for the NPS Inventory and Monitoring Program (2003) John Ray, Paul C. Sutton, Andrew Bingham ESRI Press http://www.nps.gov/gis/mapbook/45.html
• Sutton, Paul; Lopez, Mario (2003) Ironing Out Colorado GeoWorld March pp 58
• Sutton, Paul (2002) The Lights Come out at Night GeoWorld September pp 30-33
• Ray, John; Sutton, Paul (2002) The National Park Service Air Atlas (an ArcIMS site for dissemination of spatially interpolated air quality parameters) (http://www2.nature.nps.gov/ard/gas/airatlas-du/viewer_index.htm) and at this site http://massive.natnet.du.edu/website/AirAtlas9903/viewer.htm
• Sutton, P. (2001) Introduction to Overpopulation by John Zeaman. (A Franklin Watts series of short books for young adults) Grolier Publishing
• Sutton, P: (2000) Population Growth and Distribution, Encyclopedia of World Geography Salem Press
• Roberts, D; Sutton, P; Funk, C; Algona, P; Waller, E; Sundbeck, C; (2000) Physical Geography: A laboratory manual Kendall/Hunt Publishing Co (ISBN 0-7872-6484-9)
• Sutton, P, (1998) Unit #11 Registration and Conflation of the NCGIA’s Core Curriculum Technical Program (URL: http://www.ncgia.ucsb.edu/education/curricula/cctp )
• Sutton, P; Bianco, D: Gray, V.; (1997) Lab Manual for Geog 176-B: Introducing the technical issues of GIS using Arc/INFO (Technical Report 98-1), Santa Barbara, California; National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis
• Proctor, J; Sutton, P, and Michaels, G (1995) Multimedia Guided Writing Modules for Introductory Human Geography Journal of Geography Volume 94, No. 6 pp 571-577
• Sutton, P; Van Zuyle, P; and Palladino, S; (1995) “Color Your World: An Introduction to ArcView Education Modules”, Technical Report 95-5, Santa Barbara, California: National Center for Geographic Information and Analysis (NCGIA)