Spatiotemporal Analysis of Urban Vitality and Its Drivers from a Human Mobility Perspective

Urban vitality is a critical metric for assessing the development and appeal of urban areas, playing a pivotal role in urban planning and management. Traditionally, surveys and census data have been used to measure urban vitality; however, these methods are often time-consuming, resource-intensive, and limited in coverage. This study addresses these limitations by employing mobile phone signaling data to develop a model for quantifying urban vitality and exploring its spatiotemporal distribution patterns. By integrating socioeconomic, street view, and points-of-interest (POI) data, this study utilizes linear regression and geographically weighted regression (GWR) models to analyze the influence of various factors on urban vitality. The SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP) method is then applied to interpret model predictions and identify key determinants of urban vitality. Using Shenzhen as a case study, the results reveal pronounced spatial disparities in vitality. Among all variables, bus stop density, cultural services, and employment density consistently exhibit significant effects on urban vitality. The proposed urban vitality quantification framework enables high-resolution and wide-coverage monitoring of urban vitality, providing scientific support and decision-making guidance for understanding the dynamic characteristics of urban spaces and optimizing urban functional layouts.