Multiscale Analysis of Urban Vitality Based on Social Media Big Data: A Case Study of Shanghai

As urban regionalization continues to deepen, urban vitality has become a crucial metric for assessing the quality of urban spatial morphology. This study focuses on a comprehensive multiscale analysis of urban vitality in Shanghai. Using techniques such as hotspot analysis (Getis-Ord Gi*) and kernel density estimation, we aim to evaluate the distribution and variations of urban vitality in Shanghai from both temporal and spatial perspectives. We compare urban vitality hotspots during weekdays and weekends to gain a deeper understanding of their patterns. The results indicate that from July to September 2022, Shanghai's overall urban vitality was concentrated in the central and eastern regions, exhibiting a spatial distribution characterized by high aggregation and low dispersion. High urban vitality values were predominantly observed in the core areas, particularly in Huangpu, Jing'an, Xuhui, Hongkou, and Changning districts. Interestingly, vitality hotspots demonstrated a diffused distribution on weekdays and weekends. During the study period, Shanghai exhibited higher urban vitality intensity on weekdays compared to weekends. The trend was marked by an initial decrease followed by a gradual increase across the 24 time periods. Notably, night-time vitality intensity was significantly higher than daytime, peaking between 21:00 and 23:00.