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[Jitian Vision] Desert Path: The Natural Adaptation Law of Phoenix City
2025-07-22
Suzhou-1 Satellite (Jitianxing A-03) and Jilin University-1 Satellite (Jitianxing A-01) are the first two satellites in the next-generation optical remote sensing constellation independently developed by Jitian Xingzhou. Equipped with independently developed "high-timeliness, high-geometry, and high-spectral" optical cameras, the satellites offer both conventional and in-motion imaging capabilities, with a ground-level panchromatic, multispectral, and hyperspectral resolution of 3 meters and a swath width of 15 kilometers.
This issue, Jitian Shuangxing focuses on Phoenix, a major economic hub on the northern edge of North America's Sonoran Desert, to decode its unique survival wisdom.
Despite the typical checkerboard-like city, as Jitian Shuangxing's camera passes over Arizona, what comes into view are numerous winding roads, circular communities, and curved neighborhoods. These ubiquitous curves are far from casual artistic expression; rather, they represent the core wisdom of Phoenix's survival, nestled between the complex topography of the Salt River Valley floodplain and its arid ecology.
Phoenix sits on the ancient alluvial plain of the Salt River. During the Pleistocene epoch (approximately 2.6 million to 11,700 years ago), the river once flowed abundantly, eroding the area intensely and carving deep, steep channels. With climate change, the ancient Salt River gradually shrank or shifted its course, leaving behind a crisscross of dry gullies and unstable banks composed of loose sediments that are highly susceptible to erosion. To avoid these "scars" of the ancient river channel buried deep beneath the city, modern road construction has been forced to abandon straight lines and instead adapt to the terrain, resulting in the unique meandering pattern we see today.
In the Sonoran Desert, where annual precipitation is extremely low, circular neighborhoods are often constructed around central green spaces or low-lying areas, forming natural micro-water harvesting units that efficiently capture scarce rainwater runoff. This is the spatial adaptation principle Phoenix has forged to achieve a more viable, safe, economical, and sustainable existence and development within these harsh natural conditions.
Phoenix's charm goes far beyond its adaptable structure. Known as the "Valley of the Sun," it enjoys an average of over 300 days of sunshine annually, ranking it among the sunniest cities of its size worldwide. This abundant solar energy not only provides a unique advantage for the city's green industries (especially photovoltaic power generation), but also becomes a powerful engine of the "warm economy" in winter, attracting tourists from around the world seeking to escape the cold and boosting outdoor leisure and tourism consumption. This thriving industry and pleasant winter climate have combined to drive its sustained and rapid population growth, consistently ranking it among the "fastest-growing major cities in the United States."
Phoenix's harsh, arid climate has not only shaped the city and its lifestyle, but has also spawned a unique global aviation industry: the storage and dismantling of large aircraft. Goodyear Airport, located west of the city, is one of the world's most famous "aircraft graveyards."
Jitian Shuangsa's 3-meter-resolution images clearly capture the dense array of retired aircraft across this vast expanse. The extremely dry air effectively slows metal corrosion, and the vast, affordable land resources make this area an ideal location for the storage, maintenance, and dismantling of retired aircraft. Hundreds of retired aircraft of various types are parked here year-round, serving as a vital storage and processing base for retired fleets of numerous international airlines, including Air China, United Airlines (including its retired Boeing 757 fleet), and Malaysia Airlines (including its retired Boeing 777 fleet). Goodyear Airport, with its unique role as a "plane terminator," forms a distinctive link in Phoenix's aviation industry.
From winding urban roads to a vast aircraft storage yard, Phoenix demonstrates to the world how a desert city finds wisdom in finding a balance and coexistence within a harsh environment: It respects the natural context with flexible forms, leverages its unique climate and geographical resources to develop a globally influential aviation industry, and depicts a modern urban landscape that respects nature and is full of innovative vitality against the backdrop of the rugged desert.
If you'd like to explore the mysteries of the symbiosis between cities and nature through the perspective of the Jitian Twin Stars, please follow the [Jitian Xingzhou] official account and leave a message about the coordinates you long to overlook. Your next cloud-based exploration may reveal another chapter of human wisdom's survival within the framework of nature.
