A cross-scale indicator framework for the study of annual stability of land surface temperature in different land uses

Abstract

Urban Land Surface Temperature (LST) is crucial in surface urban heat island (SUHI) and microclimate studies. Currently, research has focused on seasonal LST differences across land uses, but annual LST fluctuations (ΔLST) within the same land use and their drivers remain underexplored. To explore the impact of land characteristics and urban elements on seasonal LST differences, we propose annual LST stability. We constructed a new indicator framework based on Land Use and Land Cover (LULC), supplemented by Land Morphology (LM) and Land Properties (LP), for cross-scale ΔLST research. We identified land use ratios and key characteristics of urban plots with high stability. The results show an interactive effect of the green land ratio to other land on ΔLST. For residential and office land, the green space ratio (GSR) is key to annual LST stability. Residential land needs a GSR of more than 24 %. The floor area ratio (FAR) for residential and office land has a significant nonlinear effect on annual LST stability, with FARs of 1.8 for residential land and 1.5 for office land being most detrimental to the LST stability. For practical implications, we conducted cluster analyses on residential, office, and green lands, providing strategies to improve stability. These conclusions help balance land economic benefits with urban climate resilience and guide urban planning and design to address the challenges of heat and cold waves.