Landsat-based vegetation abundance and surface temperature for surface urban heat island studies: the tale of Greater Amman Municipality

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis study aimed at characterizing the spatial and temporal characteristics of vegetation abundance (represented by At-Sensor Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (ASNDVI) and/or Land Surface Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (LSNDVI)) and surface temperature (represented by At-Sensor Brightness Temperature (ASBT) and/or Land Surface Temperature (LST)) and investigating the types of the relationships between these variables in different seasons in different years using Landsat data in Greater Amman Municipality in Jordan. Correlation analysis using Pearson’s correlation coefficient showed that using either ASNDVI or LSNDVI and either ASBT or LST should lead to the same results. Change analysis from 1987–2016 using map algebra showed that the majority of the municipality was subjected to both no change and small increase in vegetation abundance in summer and winter and both no change and small increase in surface temperature in summer and both no change and small decrease in surface temperature in winter. Vegetation abundance variability reflected partly the land cover characteristics of the municipality while surface temperature variability indicated the potential of the presence of an inverted surface urban heat island pattern. Correlation analysis using contingency tables showed the presence of negative relationship in summer and positive relationship in winter between vegetation abundance and surface temperature.