Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis integrated with GIS and remote sensing for astronomical observatory site selection in Antalya province, Turkey D. Koc-San a,⇑ , B.T. San b , V. Bakis a , M. Helvaci a , Z. Eker a a Akdeniz University, Dept. of Space Sciences and Technologies, 07058 Antalya, Turkey b Akdeniz University, Dept. of Geological Engineering, 07058 Antalya, Turkey Received 11 January 2013; received in revised form 28 February 2013; accepted 2 March 2013 Available online 14 March 2013 Abstract Astronomical observatory site selection is a complex problem that involves evaluation of multiple factors from different sources. The aim of this study is to select the best possible candidates for astronomical observations sites using Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis inte- grated with Geographical Information Systems and remote sensing technologies. The study was implemented in the Antalya province of Turkey, which is convenient for astronomical site observatory facilities with its appropriate climate properties and weather conditions. Eleven factors (cloud cover, precipitable water, earthquake zones, geology, landslide inventory, active fault lines, Digital Elevation Model, city lights, mining activities, settlement areas, roads) were determined, splitting into three categories; meteorological, geograph- ical and anthropogenic criteria. These factors were evaluated using Analytical Hierarchy Process method and the weights of criteria lay- ers were determined. As a result, the most suitable areas were located extensively in western and eastern part of Antalya. This study offers a robust, accurate, cost and time effective procedure for preliminary site selection for astronomical observatory. However, for a final decision of the best location of astronomical observatory, site testing measurements and atmospheric seeing observations will be further required in these preliminary areas. Ó 2013 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. Keywords: Site selection; Astronomical observatory; Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis; GIS; Remote sensing; Antalya 1. Introduction Site selection studies are always important for decision makers to decide where to build an astronomical observa- tory with a greatest efficiency. However, site selection itself is a complex problem that involves evaluation of multiple criteria from different sources (i.e. Hudson and Simstad, 2010). In principle, there are two steps which are the site selection and the site testing. Selection of most suitable sites is important for restricting the areas where the site testing observations (i.e. sky brightness, atmospheric seeing, pre- cipitable water vapor, determination of atmospheric extinc- tion coefficients) will be performed. Decision analyses involve systematic procedures to solve complicated problems (Drobne and Lisec, 2009). Multi- Criteria Decision Analysis (MCDA) integrated with Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and remote sensing is a powerful tool with its ability to manage com- plex and enormous amount of data obtained from different sources offering efficient, cost effective and rapid manage- ment for the site selection problem. The usage of MCDA for site selection has attracted considerable attention of researchers in the last decades with the availability and accessibility of remote sensing data and with the 0273-1177/$36.00 Ó 2013 COSPAR. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved. http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.asr.2013.03.001 ⇑ Corresponding author. Tel.: +90 2423102340. E-mail addresses: dkocsan@akdeniz.edu.tr (D. Koc-San), tanersan@ akdeniz.edu.tr (B.T. San), volkanbakis@akdeniz.edu.tr (V. Bakis), helvaci @akdeniz.edu.tr (M. Helvaci), eker@akdeniz.edu.tr (Z. Eker). www.elsevier.com/locate/asr Available online at www.sciencedirect.com Advances in Space Research 52 (2013) 39–51