Can Small Industrial Platforms Achieve Large Space Spillover? Identifying the Spatial Spillover Scope of Characteristic Towns Using the Gradient Difference Method
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
The paper is of interest to the reader. The authors have researched a difficult topic and the results are satisfactory. The previous studies used in substantiating the mathematical model are presented correctly. The graphic component is well made and helps in understanding the results
However, small shortcomings are found. One of these is a better geographical positioning of the study and a comparison with reality. Other is the way how the text is arranged on the page. All this minor shortcomings can be easily fixed by the authors.
In conclusion, I recommend the publication of this paper in correlation with the opinion of the other reviewers.
Author Response
The paper is of interest to the reader. The authors have researched a difficult topic and the results are satisfactory. The previous studies used in substantiating the mathematical model are presented correctly. The graphic component is well made and helps in understanding the results However, small shortcomings are found. One of these is a better geographical positioning of the study and a comparison with reality. Other is the way how the text is arranged on the page. All this minor shortcomings can be easily fixed by the authors.
Thank you for the valuable suggestions. We made the corrections throughout the paper.
In conclusion, I recommend the publication of this paper in correlation with the opinion of the other reviewers.
Thank you again for your constructive suggestions, which have greatly improved our manuscript!
Author Response File: 
Author Response.docx
Reviewer 2 Report
In this this manuscript is done the Quantification spatial spillover scope of characteristic towns is of very importance for spatial decision-making and policy optimization. Based on the night-time light data of the first three batches of Zhejiang characteristic towns, the gradient difference method is used to quantifying the spatial spillover scope of characteristic towns in 2014 and 2020
This manuscript has introduction, study area, methodology, results and discussion and bibliography.
This paper uses night-time light data to study the spatial spillover of characteristic towns
The authors talk about limitations and future work
Author Response
In this this manuscript is done the Quantification spatial spillover scope of characteristic towns is of very importance for spatial decision-making and policy optimization. Based on the night-time light data of the first three batches of Zhejiang characteristic towns, the gradient difference method is used to quantifying the spatial spillover scope of characteristic towns in 2014 and 2020.This manuscript has introduction, study area, methodology, results and discussion and bibliography. This paper uses night-time light data to study the spatial spillover of characteristic towns. The authors talk about limitations and future work.
Thank you again for your constructive suggestions, which have greatly improved our manuscript!
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
Reviewer 3 Report
The paper presents an important phenomenon in the context of China. Following points to improve the paper:
- how are characteristic towns in China (as per description) different to other parts of the world? How they’re planned and growing? To what rate and extent? What is their life span? We still need more context around this.
- what are their environmental/biodiversity/climate impacts besides benefits? should be mentioned/acknowledged in the intro/conclusion.
- What are the alternatives?
- What is the advantage of studying nighttime imagery?
- Beneficial to include some images of source data of multiple classes of characteristic towns for readers…
Author Response
The paper presents an important phenomenon in the context of China. Following points to improve the paper:
1.How are characteristic towns in China (as per description) different to other parts of the world? How they’re planned and growing? To what rate and extent? What is their life span? We still need more context around this.
Thank you for the valuable suggestions. Characteristic towns, which originated in Zhejiang Province, represent relatively small industrial platforms, with clear industrial positioning, cultural connotations, tourism, and certain community functions. A Zhejiang characteristic town adopts the creation system, which means that excel-lent provincial characteristic towns used to create objects will be upgraded to provincial named characteristics towns. (See section 2.1 and Appendix A). The construction period of Zhejiang characteristic towns is generally 3-5 years.
- What are their environmental/biodiversity/climate impacts besides benefits? should be mentioned/acknowledged in the intro/conclusion. What are the alternatives?
Thank you for the valuable suggestions. The present paper focused on the spatial spillover scope of characteristic towns in Zhejiang Province. Their environmental/biodiversity/climate impacts besides benefits are not considered
- What is the advantage of studying nighttime imagery? Beneficial to include some images of source data of multiple classes of characteristic towns for readers
Thank you for the valuable suggestions. As the construction area of characteristic towns is relatively small, it is difficult to use traditional methods to accurately measure the spatial spillover of these towns. In this case, remote sensing monitoring technology and nighttime light data have several advantages, including access and update speed, strong anti-interference ability, high resolution, no light spillover, and intuitive reflection of spatial changes, etc. Therefore, this paper uses nighttime light data to study the spatial spillover of characteristic towns (See Figure 4).
Thank you again for your constructive suggestions, which have greatly improved our manuscript!
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
Reviewer 4 Report
The authors use the gradient difference method to determine the spatial spill over scope of characteristic towns in Zhejiang (China) using nighttime light data. The main finding is the detection of an inverse S-shaped decreasing trend from the boundary of characteristic towns, the surrounding area of characteristic towns having 1km range as the core spillover area and 2km as the secondary spillover area. The objectives, data and methodology are well presented, and the cartographic material illustrate the main results. Also, the article is well structured. However, compared to the 62 cities for which expected results were obtained, for 52 cities the results were only partially consistent or inconsistent.
This study (second version) has a very god potential to be published after the discussion of some issues described below:
1. Why in Southwest Zhejiang the percentage of type 3 spatial spillover exceeds type 1.
2. How can information related to inconsistency in the spatial growth response of cities be communicated to decision makers.
3. The results are valid strictly for the studied region of China or are valid for all of China and/or other cities in the world.
Author Response
The authors use the gradient difference method to determine the spatial spill over scope of characteristic towns in Zhejiang (China) using nighttime light data. The main finding is the detection of an inverse S-shaped decreasing trend from the boundary of characteristic towns, the surrounding area of characteristic towns having 1km range as the core spillover area and 2km as the secondary spillover area. The objectives, data and methodology are well presented, and the cartographic material illustrate the main results. Also, the article is well structured. However, compared to the 62 cities for which expected results were obtained, for 52 cities the results were only partially consistent or inconsistent. This study (second version) has a very god potential to be published after the discussion of some issues described below:
- Why in Southwest Zhejiang the percentage of type 3 spatial spillover exceeds type 1.
Thank you for the valuable suggestions. 11 cities in Zhejiang Province are divided into four regions according to their geo-graphical location: North, Central, Southeast, and Southwest. The north region includes Hangzhou, Jiaxing, Huzhou, Ningbo, Shaoxing, Zhoushan. The central region includes Jinhua, while south Zhejiang includes Wenzhou and Taizhou and southwest includes Quzhou and Lishui.
The industry types in southwest Zhejiang are mainly tourism industry and historical classic industry ( see Figure 6(IV)) .Type 3 is related to industry type. To some extent, the research results reflect the internal differentiation in the construction of characteristic towns in North Zhejiang and that in Southwest Zhejiang, which lags behind.
- How can information related to inconsistency in the spatial growth response of cities be communicated to decision makers.
Thank you for the valuable suggestions. Follow-up research considers transforming the research results into reports and feedback to policy decision-makers through media and other channels.
- The results are valid strictly for the studied region of China or are valid for all of China and/or other cities in the world.
Thank you for the valuable suggestions. Compared to previous research, this study was able to accurately identify the spatial spillover scope of characteristic towns using the gradient difference method. Specifically, the spatial spillover scope is concentrated primarily in the core spillover area of 1 km. The gradient difference method is proven to be effective, and the gradient difference method applies to other regions.
Thank you again for your constructive suggestions, which have greatly improved our manuscript!
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
