Diurnal Land Surface Temperature Research Articles

Solar zenith angle-based calibration of Himawari-8 land surface temperature for correcting diurnal retrieval error characteristics

The geostationary Himawari-8 satellite offers a unique opportunity to monitor sub-daily thermal dynamics over Asia and Oceania, and several operational land surface temperature (LST) retrieval algorithms have been developed for this purpose. However, studies have reported inconsistency between LST data obtained from geostationary and polar-orbiting platforms, particularly for daytime LST, which can arise from variations in viewing geometries and inherent differences in sensor types and LST algorithms. Despite this, previous research has primarily focused on analysing the directionality of LST without thoroughly exploring systematic differences between platforms. Hence, we presented a Solar Zenith Angle-based Calibration (SZAC) method to harmonise the daytime component of a split-window retrieved Himawari-8 LST (referred to here as the baseline) with the MODerate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) LST. SZAC describes the spatial heterogeneity and magnitude of diurnal LST discrepancies from different platforms, which is anticipated to complement typical directionality analyses. We evaluated the harmonised LST data, referred to as the Australian National University LST with SZAC (ANUSZAC), against MODIS LST and the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) LST, as well as in-situ LST from the OzFlux network. Two peer Himawari-8 LST products from Chiba University and the Copernicus Global Land Service were also collected for comparison. The median daytime bias of ANUSZAC LST against Terra-MODIS LST, Aqua-MODIS LST and VIIRS LST was 1.52 K, 0.98 K and −0.63 K, respectively, which demonstrated improved performance compared to baseline (5.37 K, 4.85 K and 3.02 K, respectively) and Chiba LST (3.71 K, 2.90 K and 1.07 K, respectively). All four Himawari-8 LST products showed comparable performance of unbiased root mean squared error (ubRMSE), ranging from 2.47 to 3.07 K, compared to LST from polar-orbiting platforms. In the evaluation against in-situ LST, the mean values of bias (ubRMSE) of baseline, Chiba, Copernicus and ANUSZAC LST during daytime were 4.23 K (3.74 K), 2.16 K (3.62 K), 1.73 K (3.31 K) and 1.41 K (3.24 K), respectively, based on 171,289 hourly samples from 20 OzFlux sites across Australia between 01/Jan/2016 and 31/Dec/2020. In summary, the SZAC method offers a promising approach to enhance the reliability of geostationary LST retrievals by incorporating the spatiotemporal characteristics observed by accurate polar-orbiting LST data. SZAC can also reduce LST angular effects due to its capability of quantifying spatial inhomogeneity of surface heat dynamics. Furthermore, it is possible to implement SZAC using LST data acquired by geostationary satellites in other regions, e.g., Europe, Africa and Americas. This could improve our understanding of the error characteristics of coincident imageries from geostationary and polar-orbiting platforms, allowing for targeted refinements and global harmonisations to further enhance applicability.

Mechanisms of non-stationary influence of urban form on the diurnal thermal environment based on machine learning and MGWR analysis

The non-stationary impact of urban form at block scale on the diurnal thermal environment has not been extensively studied. To fill the gap, a comprehensive multi-scale research framework was constructed, integrating machine learning algorithms and multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) analysis. The urban form types were extracted by machine learning algorithms from 2282 blocks of Dalian, a coastal city, and the contribution to the diurnal land surface temperature (LST) was evaluated. Based on MGWR, the non-stationary effects of urban form, human activity and spatial location on the diurnal LST were quantified, which indicated the contributing factors to the diurnal thermal differences among the form types. The result was as follows: 1) Blocks characterized by low vegetation and mid/low-rise buildings had the highest warming contribution for diurnal LST. 2) The impact of sky view factor (SVF) on diurnal temperature amplitude exhibited no significant spatial-temporal heterogeneity. 3) Building density had a prominent effect on diurnal temperature amplitude. 4) High-vegetation and open (SVF > 0.5) mid/mid-high/low-rise (15–50 m) buildings were recommended. This study provides a more precise basis for policymakers to develop climate adaptation strategies throughout day and night, particularly for coastal cities.

Association of neighborhood-level socioeconomic status and urban heat in China: Evidence from Hangzhou

The escalating contradiction between global urban development and thermal environments has become increasingly apparent, underscoring the imperative to address social inequality in heat exposure and advocate for environmental justice (EJ) in the pursuit of sustainable urban development. To bridge the research gap in this domain, a comprehensive study was conducted to examine the correlation mechanism linking the thermal environment with the socioeconomic status (SES) of Chinese cities, employing Hangzhou as a representative case—a pivotal city among China's "four fire stoves". The investigation involved analyzing the spatial distribution pattern of diurnal Land Surface Temperature (LST) during the summer months spanning 2016 to 2018 (July to September). For SES characterization, a holistic indicator was established. Community-level LST variables were derived from LST surfaces obtained through the Terra and Aqua satellite MODIS sensors, with the community serving as the fundamental unit of analysis. The relationship between SES and LST was explored using random forest regression (RF), eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and support vector regression (SVR) to assess socioeconomic inequality in urban heat. The findings reveal that (1) RF exhibits the highest fitting accuracy and adeptly elucidates the nonlinear relationship and marginal effects between LST variables and SES. (2) Community SES in the Hangzhou metropolitan area exhibits spatial clustering. (3) Residents of low and middle SES communities experience heightened heat inequality. (4) A complex nonlinear relationship exists between daytime and nighttime LST and SES, with significant social disparities in urban heat within specific temperature thresholds. When deciding on measures to advance thermal environmental justice, it is crucial to prioritize both relatively disadvantaged groups and specific temperature intervals. This study departs from conventional approaches, exploring the nonlinear relationship between SES and urban heat at a fine scale, thereby assisting urban planners in developing effective strategies.

MONITORING SUMMER DAYTIME AND NIGHTTIME DECADAL TRENDS OF LAND SURFACE TEMPERATURE OVER THE NATIONAL CAPITAL REGION DELHI

Abstract. Urbanization-related growth and development have been recognized as substantial factors in increasing surface temperatures. India's rapid urbanization has exacerbated climate change challenges, particularly the rising Land Surface Temperature (LST) and Urban Heat Island (UHI) phenomena. The study used LST data from the MODerate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) to examine decadal variances in LST and diurnal LST variations over the summer months in a study region. We compared the LST values in 2010, 2020, and 2022 with the reference year 2000 by analyzing LST data collected from 2000 to 2022 using geospatial analysis. The study found a significant increase in the LST over a two-decade period, particularly in May and June, with temperature jumps of up to 10 (°C) both during the day and at night. The study also revealed differences in LST patterns between rural and urban regions, with rural areas having a higher daytime LST than urban areas and urban areas witnessing an elevated nighttime LST owing to the UHI impact. Analysis revealed significant differences in LST patterns, with 2020 showing lower surface temperatures due to limited heat released from anthropogenic activities such as industrial operation and vehicular traffic due to the COVID-19 lockdown. However, in the years 2010 and 2022, the study observed a significant increase in LST during the summer months both during the day and at night. These findings provided useful insights for urban development and planning and contribute to the implementation of measures aimed at reducing heat-related risks and improving the well-being of urban residents.

Assessment of seasonal warming trends at the Nile Delta: a paradigm for human-induced climate change.

Given its modern geographical and geomorphological characteristics, along with rapid socio-economic changes, the Nile Delta stands out as one of the world's most dynamic landscapes. The key drivers of the land use change in this region have been the reclamation of delta margins, changes in agricultural practices, and urban expansion. The present study aims to explore the variations in the seasonal daytime and nighttime trends of the land surface temperatures (LST) at this active agronomic system in response to the seasonal variations of vegetation cover as revealed by the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) during the past two decades. The data were exclusively acquired from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) instrument for the period from January 2001 to December 2021, where geospatial and statistical analyses were accomplished to construct a LST/NDVI spatio-temporal pattern throughout the Nile Delta. Results revealed a robust negative and a significant relationship between the NDVI and the diurnal LST with high regression coefficients (R2) ranging from 0.78 to 0.97 (p value < 0.05). Maximal seasonal warming trends occurred during harvesting seasons (springs and falls), while the least warming was recorded during winters (the growing seasons). It was also observed that the nocturnal warming (0.72°C/decade) was almost as double as the corresponding value of the daytime trend (0.33°C/decade). The study recognized a seasonal climatic warming throughout the Nile Delta influenced by the human-induced land use change and agricultural practices.

Combined modelling of annual and diurnal land surface temperature cycles

The land surface's thermal dynamics follows annual and diurnal cycles that are to a large extent controlled by solar geometry. Therefore, annual and diurnal variations of land surface temperature (LST) can be modelled with relatively simple functions controlled by a small number of parameters, typically from three to six. The parameter values of the models can be determined by fitting the respective functions to time series of LST observations. Commonly either annual or diurnal LST variations are modelled or they are modelled sequentially in a two-step process. Here, we combine an annual temperature cycle (ATC) model controlled by the solar zenith angle (ATCsza) with a four-parameter version of the diurnal temperature cycle (DTC) model GOT09: this yields a new annual-diurnal temperature cycle (ADTC) model that simultaneously describes the annual and diurnal surface temperature dynamics. The proposed ADTC model is controlled by physically meaningful parameters: annual minimum temperature, annual temperature amplitude, annual maximum of daily temperature amplitude, mean time of thermal noon and time lag of maximum temperature with respect to summer solstice. Thus, the entire annual-diurnal LST dynamics is described with only five parameters. The new model was tested by fitting it to one year of LST observations obtained for five globally representative tiles of the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS), onboard EOS – TERRA and EOS – AQUA satellites. For these tiles, the mean of the root mean square error (RMSE) was 4.2 K. ADTC modelled LSTs were also compared against those obtained with the standard ATC model for the four MODIS overpass times at five representative sites: for these, an overall RMSE of 1.2 K between the two models was obtained. The ADTC derived LSTs were validated against in-situ measurements from three different sites, which yielded an overall RMSE of 3.4 K. Additional investigations over five areas with different land covers (i.e. urban, lake, forest, mountain area and desert) revealed the potential of the ADTC parameters to describe the corresponding surface and climate properties. Since it is driven by solar geometry, the ADTC model reproduces double LST peaks in the tropics naturally. Furthermore, all available observations are modelled simultaneously, which means that a single set of parameters is obtained for each pixel and year.

Generating 60–100 m, hourly, all-weather land surface temperatures based on the Landsat, ECOSTRESS, and reanalysis temperature combination (LERC)

Satellite-derived land surface temperatures (LSTs) often encounter a tradeoff between spatial and temporal resolutions, as well as severe cloud contamination. While extensive efforts have focused on resolution enhancement and under-cloud reconstruction, generating fine-resolution (≤100 m) diurnal LSTs under all-weather conditions remains a challenge, which hampers fine-scale monitoring of climatological, hydrological, and ecological processes. The latest 70-m ECOSTRESS observations at varying times of day provide an unprecedented opportunity for detailed mapping of diurnal LST dynamics, and reanalysis products with spatiotemporal continuity offer promising references for all-weather thermal dynamics. However, these advantages have rarely been integrated to concurrently achieve high spatiotemporal resolution and completeness. Here, we present a simple yet effective framework for reconstructing 60–100 m, hourly, all-weather LSTs based on the Landsat, ECOSTRESS and Reanalysis temperature Combination (termed LERC). The framework involves three steps: (i) preliminary under-cloud estimations within annual cycles of several times by fitting an enhanced annual temperature cycle (EATC) model to clear Landsat/ECOSTRESS scenes and China Land Data Assimilation System (CLDAS) LST fluctuations; (ii) optimized daily estimations at each selected time by correcting biases of the preliminary under-cloud estimations and re-modeling the EATC with temporally densified samples; and (iii) hourly seamless estimations by interpolating the two nearest daily estimations with reference to the weighted diurnal changes in CLDAS. LERC was evaluated in an urban-dominated region throughout 2020, resulting in an average root-mean-squared-error of 2.0 K (3.0 K) against 50 Landsat and ECOSTRESS images (hourly ground measurements at 13 sites). Compared to the enhanced spatial and temporal adaptive reflectance fusion model, classic ATC model, diurnal temperature cycle model, and three sophisticated all-weather products, LERC demonstrates outperformance in terms of general accuracy, spatiotemporal variability, and robustness against sparse input. LERC has great potentials for generating long-term reliable all-weather LST records with a high spatiotemporal resolution to promote broad applications.

Early summer temperature anomalies and potential impacts on achieving Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in National Capital Region (NCR) of India

This research aims to investigate the repercussions of an anomalous early summer Land Surface Temperature (LST) surge on food, energy, and human health within the National Capital Region (NCR) of India, with a specific focus on its potential influence on the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). To attain this objective, the study employed various methods to evaluate the magnitude of the deviation in LST. MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) images were utilized to compute the monthly diurnal LST range, and the Standard Anomaly (StA) approach was employed to account for data dispersion. Additionally, Innovative Trend Analysis (ITA) and Detrended Fluctuation Analysis (DFA) were conducted to perform regionally specific trend analysis. Furthermore, the Ordinary Least Square (OLS) regression method was applied to investigate the relationship between StA and crop yields. The findings indicate a significant temperature increase in March, with a deviation of 3.5 °C above the average range. Additionally, the study reveals the standard anomaly (StA) of Land Surface Temperature (LST) during March fell within the range of −0.706 to 2.783 °C, while in April, it ranged from −0.781 to 3.263 °C, and in May, it ranged from −3.001 to 0.525 °C. The key significance of the study lies in the impacts of this early summer warming on the attainment of the Sustainable Development Goals. The reduction in crop yields as a result of this warming poses a substantial threat to achieving the SDG-2 target of Zero Hunger. Moreover, the adverse health effects stemming from the early summer warming impede the achievement of the SDG-3.4.1 target. Additionally, the high energy consumption induced by the warming directly affects SDG-6 on affordable and clean energy. The research underscores the critical importance of addressing the impacts of early summer warming to ensure the successful achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals in the National Capital Region of India. Policymakers and stakeholders should take into account the findings of this study to implement targeted strategies that mitigate the adverse effects of early summer warming on food, energy, and human health, and thereby contribute to the realization of the SDGs.

The biophysical effects of potential changes in irrigated crops on diurnal land surface temperature in Northeast China

Irrigated crops have experienced a significant global expansion. The biophysical response of climate change to irrigated crop expansion in different regions, particularly in terms of monitoring the influence mechanism of nighttime land surface temperature (LST) change, however, remains insufficiently explored. Taking the three northeastern provinces of China as our study area, we apply window analysis, partial correlation analysis, and geographical detector to quantitatively characterize the spatial and temporal distribution pattern of daytime and nighttime LST (diurnal LST) and biophysical parameters, and the main driving mechanism of diurnal LST change. The results showed that irrigated crop expansion led to asymmetric changes in daytime (−2.11 ± 0.2°C, 97.4%) and nighttime (0.64 ± 0.2°C, 79.9%) LST. ΔLSTDT had a negative correlation with ΔLE (63%), but a positive correlation with ΔSSR and ΔH (91% and 77%). This revealed that the cooling effect caused by the superposition of the output latent heat flux and the absorbed solar shortwave radiation was greater than its heating effect. ΔLSTNT and ΔLE had a positive connection across 69% of the region. ΔLSTNT demonstrated a negative correlation with ΔSSR and ΔH in 82% and 75% of the regions, respectively. At this time, the superposition of latent heat flux and heating potential term produces a greater heating effect. The explanatory power of the single factor (the mean of q&amp;lt;0.50) of biophysical parameters for diurnal LST variation was significantly smaller than that of the interaction factor (the mean of q&amp;gt;0.50, p&amp;lt;0.01). This study shows more detailed dynamic information of diurnal LST and biophysical parameters from 8day scale. The findings highlighted the critical role of asymmetric changes in the diurnal surface thermal environment caused by irrigated crop expansion in the global climate from a land surface hydrothermal energy balance perspective.

How do 2D/3D urban landscapes impact diurnal land surface temperature: Insights from block scale and machine learning algorithms

Urban landscapes significantly affect land surface temperature (LST) and are considered crucial factors affecting urban heat island (UHI). The impacts of urban landscapes on LST have been extensively explored, mainly focusing on grid scale and the daytime. However, how 2D/3D urban landscapes affect diurnal LST at the block scale is unclear. Therefore, taking 1, 536 blocks (including low-rise blocks (LRB), middle-rise blocks (MRB), and high-rise blocks (HRB)) in Beijing as samples, the performances of boosted regression tree (BRT) and random forest (RF) were first evaluated, and the impacts of 2D/3D urban landscapes on diurnal LST across different block types were explored. The results showed that the mean LST was the highest in MRB (daytime) and HRB (nighttime). BRT performed better than RF in investigating diurnal impacts at the block scale. Vegetation and buildings are the domain factors influencing daytime and nighttime LST in LRB and MRB, while buildings are the domain factor in HRB except at 03:09 (impervious surface). The relationships between the key 2D/3D urban landscape metrics and block diurnal LST are nonlinear. The findings can serve as f basis for UHI mitigation and urban renewal strategies by urban planners to develop thermal comfort.

Spatio-temporal analysis of the urban green infrastructure of the city of Granada (Spain) as a heat mitigation measure using high-resolution images Sentinel 3

At present, and motivated by a substantial growth of the population, a considerable expansion of urban areas is taking place through the modification of land uses. These changes, together with global warming and extreme weather events, produce increases in the temperature of the earth's surface and a deterioration of the environment that affects people's quality of life. The green areas of cities are upheld as one of the best for adapting to such phenomena, since they help lower outdoor temperatures. In this research, using high-resolution Sentinel 3 satellite images and the TsHARP algorithm, the Land Surface Temperature (LST) and the Park Cool Island (PCI) were obtained at a resolution of 10 m over green areas in the city of Granada. The objective was to analyze the relationship between surface, PCI effect and cooling distance. In turn, for each of the eight green areas studied, the following variables were taken into account and included in a statistical analysis known as data panel: normalized difference vegetation index, vegetal proportion, sky view factor, landscape shape index, model digital elevation, wind and solar radiation. Our results report diurnal LST decreases of 1 K and night LST of 0.6 K in green areas as compared to urban areas. There is moreover a correlation between the size of the green areas, the decrease in temperature they generate, and distance of the minimizer effect.

Effective Factors for Reducing Land Surface Temperature in Each Local Climate Zone Built Type in Tokyo and Shanghai

Identifying the main factors influencing the land surface temperature (LST) of each local climate zone (LCZ) built type is of great significance for controlling LST. This study investigated the main factors influencing the LST of each LCZ built type in two Asian megacities: Tokyo and Shanghai. Each area in both megacities was classified according to the LCZ scheme. The diurnal LST, pervious surface fraction (PSF), surface albedo (SA), average building height (⟨BH⟩), and gross building coverage ratio (λp) of each LCZ were also calculated. Finally, the influence of the properties of each LCZ built type on LST was investigated. The results demonstrated that the main factors influencing LST of different LCZ built types differed in Tokyo and Shanghai. ⟨BH⟩ was the main factor influencing LST for compact mid-rise and open high-rise types in Tokyo, and the compact mid-rise type in Shanghai; PSF was the main factor influencing LST for other LCZ built types. Moreover, both ⟨BH⟩ and PSF negatively correlated with LST. Based on the above results and characteristics of each LCZ built type, specific LST mitigation strategies for each LCZ built type were proposed for Tokyo and Shanghai. The approach in this study can contribute to perspectives for urban planners and policymakers to develop highly feasible and reasonable LST mitigation strategies.

Vegetation-induced asymmetric diurnal land surface temperatures changes across global climate zones

Unprecedented global vegetation greening during past decades is well known to affect annual and seasonal land surface temperatures (LST). However, the impact of observed vegetation cover change on diurnal LST across global climatic zones is not well understood. Using global climatic time-series datasets, we investigated the long-term growing season daytime and nighttime LST changes globally and explored associated dominant contributors including vegetation and climate factors including air temperature, precipitation, and solar radiation. Results revealed asymmetric growing season mean daytime and nighttime LST warming (0.16 °C/10a and 0.30 °C/10a, respectively) globally from 2003 to 2020, as a result, the diurnal LST range (DLSTR) declined at 0.14 °C/10a. The sensitivity analysis indicated the LST response to changes in LAI, precipitation, and SSRD mainly concentrated during daytime instead of nighttime, however, which showed comparable sensitivities for air temperature. Combining the sensitivities results and the observed LAI and climate trends, we found rising air temperature contributes to 0.24 ± 0.11 °C/10a global daytime LST warming and 0.16 ± 0.07 °C/10a nighttime LST warming, turns to be the dominant contributor to the LST changes. Increased LAI cooled global daytime LST (−0.068 ± 0.096 °C/10a) while warmed nighttime LST (0.064 ± 0.046 °C/10a); hence LAI dominates declines in DLSTR trends (−0.12 ± 0.08 °C/10a), despite some day-night process variations across climate zones. In Boreal regions, reduced DLSTR was due to nighttime warming from LAI increases. In other climatic zones, daytime cooling, and DLSTR decline, was induced by increased LAI. Biophysically, the pathway from air temperature heats the surface through sensible heat and increased downward longwave radiation during day and night, while the pathway from LAI cools the surface by enhancing energy redistribution into latent heat rather than sensible heat during the daytime. These empirical findings of diverse asymmetric responses could help calibrate and improve biophysical models of diurnal surface temperature feedback in response to vegetation cover changes in different climate zones.

A Study on the Spatial and Temporal Variation of Summer Surface Temperature in the Bosten Lake Basin and Its Influencing Factors

The land surface temperature (LST) is an important indicator reflecting the ecological environment condition. As a sensitive area to climate change, mastering the spatial and temporal changes of summer LST in the Bosten Lake basin (BLB) helps gain insight into the evolution of the thermal environment in the Bosten Lake basin and for long-term monitoring of the basic ecological changes in the basin. Based on MOD11A1 data from 2005 to 2020, this paper investigates the diurnal LST spatiotemporal series variation and its influencing factors in the Bosten Lake basin by using surface temperature class classification, trending analysis, the Hurst index, and geographic probes. The results show that (1) the wetland grasslands in and around the Bayinbruck steppe in the northwestern part of the study area exhibit a heat island effect during the day, while the opposite is true at night. In terms of temporal changes, LST changes in the BLB fluctuate widely, having a general rising and then decreasing trend. (2) The decreasing trend of LST from 2005 to 2020 is significant during the daytime and vice versa at night, and the change at night is greater than during the day. The areas with significantly higher diurnal LST in the future have all expanded compared to the area occupied by them now, with an overall trend of a steady increase. (3) The dominant factor of LST variation has the strongest explanatory power when altitude and NDVI are combined during the daytime and the strongest explanatory power when NPP and temperature are combined at night.

Opportunities and Challenges of Spaceborne Sensors in Delineating Land Surface Temperature Trends: A Review

Understanding the land surface temperature (LST) trends is crucial for policymakers and stakeholders to develop adaptation and mitigation strategies suitable for a sustainable environment coping in the face of climate change. This article presents a systematic review of the studies related to delineating spaceborne sensor-based LST trends, including information on the instruments and constellations of satellites (missions) that provide thermal infrared (TIR) and passive microwave (PMW) observations. About 99% of the studies used TIR, where 76% were Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS, onboard Terra/Aqua) observations. Opportunities, challenges, and research gaps for using the TIR and PMW observations were also explored, with instruments onboard either polar-orbiting or geostationary satellites. We identified that the calibrated dataset (e.g., processed, harmonized, and standardized) is extremely limited for each constellation, with multiple satellites and instruments, to make it fully useful for the entire mission period. A few problematic methodological concepts were identified, including using a few images in a longer time series. Using only a few images, acquired on different calendar months in different years, would not provide the true annual trends over the study period because they can be influenced by seasonal variations. To estimate the warming or cooling daytime, nighttime, or diurnal LST trends, the use of MODIS observations could be useful, even though it does not acquire images during the maximum or minimum temperature in a daily cycle. This article indicated further investigations into those research gaps and recommended directions to overcome most of these limitations.

Near-Surface Soil Moisture Characterization in Mississippi’s Highway Slopes Using Machine Learning Methods and UAV-Captured Infrared and Optical Images

Near-surface soil moisture content variation is a major factor in the frequent shallow slope failures observed on Mississippi’s highway slopes built on expansive clay. Soil moisture content variation is monitored generally through borehole sensors in highway embankments and slopes. This point monitoring method lacks spatial resolution, and the sensors are susceptible to premature failure due to wear and tear. In contrast, Unmanned/Uncrewed Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) have higher spatial and temporal resolutions that enable more efficient monitoring of site conditions, including soil moisture variation. The current study focused on developing two methods to predict soil moisture content (θ) using UAV-captured optical and thermal combined with machine learning and statistical modeling. The first method used Red, Green, and Blue (RGB) color values from UAV-captured optical images to predict θ. Support Vector Machine for Regression (SVR), Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGB), and Multiple Linear Regression (MLR) models were trained and evaluated for predicting θ from RGB values. The XGB model and MLR model outperformed the SVR model in predicting soil moisture content from RGB values. The R2 values for the XGB and MLR models were &gt;0.9 for predicting soil moisture when compared to SVR (R2 = 0.25). The Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) for XGB, SVR, and MLR were 0.009, 0.025, and 0.01, respectively, for the test dataset, affirming that XGB was the best-performing model among the three models evaluated, followed by MLR and SVR. The better-performing XGB and MLR models were further validated by predicting soil moisture using unseen input data, and they provided good prediction results. The second method used Diurnal Land Surface Temperature variation (ΔLST) from UAV-captured Thermal Infrared (TIR) images to predict θ. TIR images of vegetation-covered areas and bare ground areas of the highway embankment side slopes were processed to extract ΔLST amplitudes. The underlying relationship between soil surface thermal inertia and moisture content variation was utilized to develop a predictive model. The resulting single-parameter power curve fit model accurately predicted soil moisture from ΔLST, especially in vegetation-covered areas. The power curve fit model was further validated on previously unseen TIR, and it predicted θ with an accuracy of RMSE = 0.0273, indicating good prediction performance. The study was conducted on a field scale and not in a controlled environment, which aids in the generalizability of the developed predictive models.

Estimating Hourly All-Weather Land Surface Temperature From FY-4A/AGRI Imagery Using the Surface Energy Balance Theory

Thermal infrared (TIR) observations from geostationary satellites enable the retrievals of the diurnal variations in land surface temperatures (LST) linked to the land-atmosphere energy exchange and water cycle. However, cloud cover obstructs TIR signals and leads to missing gaps that generally account for more than 50% of TIR LST maps. This study proposed an effective method to estimate hourly all-weather LST from the Advanced Geosynchronous Radiation Imager (AGRI) data under the framework of surface energy balance (SEB) theory. An improved temperature and emissivity separation algorithm was first used to obtain the high-quality clear-sky LST, which plays a decisive role in ensuring the accuracy of recovered cloudy-sky LST. Then we proposed a unique way to solve the temperature difference (ΔLST) between the cloudy-sky LST and hypothetical clear-sky LST caused by cloud radiative effects (CRE). The bias (RMSE) of the estimated AGRI hourly cloudy-sky LST is 0.10 K (3.71 K) during the daytime, and -0.20 K (2.73 K) during the nighttime, respectively. The overall bias (RMSE) of the estimated AGRI all-weather LST is 0.02 K (2.84 K). The estimated hourly all-weather LST not only captures the rapid variation in diurnal LST but is also promising for temporal upscaling. The temporally upscaled daily mean LST shows a bias (RMSE) of 0.03 K (1.35 K). This study provides a promising solution to generate diurnal hourly all-weather LST for AGRI and other geostationary satellites.

A Method for Estimating Daytime Average Evapotranspiration From Diurnal Land Surface Temperature Measurements

Evapotranspiration (ET) is an essential parameter in the water cycle and surface energy balance. Accurate estimation of daytime or daily ET is of great significance for many activities in human economic and social development. This study aims to propose a novel method for estimating daytime average ET by using temporal measurements of land surface temperature (LST) and net surface shortwave radiation (NSSR), following a previous developed elliptical relationship between diurnal cycles of LST and NSSR under cloud-free days. The method was primarily developed from the simulated data of a physics-based Atmosphere–Land Exchange (ALEX) model under different underlying surfaces and atmospheric conditions. Based on the simulated data, the proposed method showed considerable accuracy with the overall coefficient of determination ( <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">R</i> <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> ) of 0.958 and the root mean square error (RMSE) of 25.3 Wm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">-2</sup> . In addition, ground ET measurements at four Ameriflux sites (US-ARM, US-SRM, US-Whs, and US-Wkg) during the 2018 growing season were collected to assess the estimated daytime average ET. Results show an overall RMSE of 64.7 Wm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">-2</sup> for the estimated ET at the four sites, and the US-Whs site reveals a best accuracy ( <italic xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">R</i> <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">2</sup> =0.825, RMSE=44.4 Wm <sup xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink">-2</sup> ). These results indicated a potential for generating daytime ET with geostationary satellite observations at regional scales in future development.

A method for estimating surface soil moisture from diurnal land surface temperature observations over vegetated regions: A preliminary result over an AmeriFlux site and the REMEDHUS network

Most current optical/thermal-based surface soil moisture (SSM) retrieval methods only utilize the instantaneous measurements made by onboard polar-orbit satellites, and they require soil texture as prior knowledge to obtain the volumetric SSM content. A recent study developed a diurnal land surface temperature (LST)-based SSM retrieval method to directly estimate the volumetric SSM content without the knowledge of soil texture. However, most subsequent studies have only examined the use of this method on bare soils. Therefore, the present study aims to investigate the feasibility of the method over vegetated regions with both experimental data and satellite observations. First, the impacts of vegetation on SSM retrieval were investigated through physics-based Common Land Model simulations and high accuracy with an overall root mean square error (RMSE) of 0.010 m3m−3 was achieved when the underlying surface was covered by moderate fractional vegetation cover from 0 to 0.6 with a given soil texture. Based on the simulated results, the SSM was then estimated using data from an AmeriFlux site dominated by crops during the growing season in 2018; the results were further verified using in-situ measurements, and this showed that the estimated SSM correlated well with in-situ measurements (with an RMSE of 0.078 m3m−3). A further evaluation of the Meteosat Second Generation (MSG)-derived SSM at the pixel scale was made using the proposed method, and the results revealed an overall acceptable accuracy (RMSE of 0.074 m3m−3 and bias of 0.071 m3m−3) against the SMAP/Sentinel-1 SSM product at the same spatial resolution of 3 km.

Spatial and temporal analysis of urban heat island effect over Tiruchirappalli city using geospatial techniques

Alterations made to the natural ground surface and the anthropogenic activity elevate the surface and air temperature in the urban areas compared with the surrounding rural areas, known as urban heat island effect. Thermal remote sensors measure the radiation emitted by ground objects, which can be used to estimate the land surface temperature and are beneficial for studying urban heat island effects. The present study investigates the spatial and temporal variations in the effects of urban heat island over Tiruchirappalli city in India during the summer and winter seasons. The study also identifies hot spots and cold spots within the study area. In this study, a significant land surface temperature difference was observed between the urban and rural areas, predominantly at night, indicating the presence of urban heat island at night. These diurnal land surface temperature fluctuations are also detected seasonally, with a relatively higher temperature intensity during the summer. The trend line analysis shows that the mean land surface temperature of the study area is increasing at a rate of 0.166 K/decade with p less than 0.01. By using the spatial autocorrelation method with the urban heat island index as the key parameter, hot spots with a 99 percent confidence level and a 95 percent confidence level were found within the urban area. A hot spot with 95 and 90 percent confidence level was identified outside the urban area. This spike in temperature for a particular region in the rural area is due to industry and the associated built-up area. The study also identified cold spots with a 90 percent confidence level within the rural area. However, cold spots with a 95 and 99 percent confidence level were not identified within the study area.