Land Surface Temperature Variations Research Articles

Investigating the effects of urban morphological factors on seasonal land surface temperature in a “Furnace city” from a block perspective

• The effects of urban block form zone on the seasonal LSTs were explored. • The correlations between LST and urban morphological factors vary with seasons. • Blocks with higher building density and lower building height had higher LST. • Different contributions of urban morphological factors to seasonal LSTs were compared. • More attention should be paid to building form metrics and surface biophysical parameters in urban planning. A growing number of studies have examined the impact of urban morphological factors on surface urban heat islands (SUHI). However, less attention is paid to investigating the comprehensive effect of urban morphological factors on land surface temperature (LST) across seasons, particularly at the block scale. In this study, we investigated 385 blocks in the central part of Fuzhou city, China. Twelve urban morphological factors in four categories were calculated from multi-source data, and the random forest regression (RFR) method was employed to calculate the relative importance of urban morphological factors from a block perspective. Our results confirmed that the blocks with high-density low-rise buildings had the highest LST and distribution index. The correlations between LST and urban morphological factors varied seasonally. The normalized difference vegetation index yielded a positive correlation with LST in winter. The RFR model revealed that twelve urban morphological factors could explain 52–57.8% of LST variation. More importantly, the building form metrics and surface biophysical parameters are the two essential categories affecting LST, contributing >70% of the total relative contribution to LST. These findings provide useful insights to ameliorate the SUHI effect and have substantial implications for urban ecological sustainability from a block perspective.

Spatial–temporal characteristics of surface thermal environment and its effect on Lake surface water temperature in Dianchi Lake basin

The surface thermal environment plays an important role in urban sustainable development and ecological environment protection. Existing researches mainly focus on the formation process and mechanism of the surface thermal environment and lack the analysis of its effect on the lake ecological environment under the influence of human activities. Therefore, based on the analysis of the variations in land surface temperature (LST) and lake surface water temperature (LSWT) of Dianchi Lake at multiple spatio-temporal scales, this study evaluated the response of LSWT by using the methods of spatial influence, the center of gravity migration trajectory, trend analysis, and correlation analysis. The results show that: (1) Urbanization has a greater warming effect on LSWT than on LST, and the warming effect at night is greater than that at daytime. From 2001 to 2018, the warming trend of LSWT in daytime and night was 0.01°C/a and 0.02°C/a, respectively, while the cooling trend of LST in daytime was −0.03°C/a and the warming trend of LST in night was 0.01°C/a. (2) Areas with high human activity are warming faster, both in the eastern and northern coastal areas of lake and the heavily urbanized sub-basins. (3) The spatial influence of LST and LSWT are highly correlated, and the response of the outer buffer in the range of 2 km is obvious, and the direction of gravity center migration trajectory is consistent. The results are of great significance for the control and improvement of urban heat island and ecological environment protection of Dianchi Lake in Kunming and can provide data support and decision support for urban planning, promoting the construction of the ecological civilization city in Kunming, and reducing the accumulation of urban surface heat.

The Response of Land Surface Temperature Changes to the Vegetation Dynamics in the Yangtze River Basin

Land surface temperature (LST) is a key parameter in the study of surface energy balance and climate change from local through to global scales. Vegetation has inevitably influenced the LST by changing the surface properties. However, the thermal environment pattern in the Yangtze River Basin (YRB) still remains unclear after the implementation of large-scale ecological restoration projects. In this study, the temporal and spatial variation characteristics of LST were analyzed based on the Theil–Sen estimator, Mann–Kendall trend analysis and Hurst exponent from 2003 to 2021. The relationships between vegetation and LST were further revealed by using correlation analysis and trajectory-based analysis. The results showed that the interannual LST was in a state of fluctuation and rise, and the increasing rate at night time (0.035 °C·yr−1) was faster than that at day time (0.007 °C·yr−1). An obvious cooling trend could be identified from 2007 to 2012, followed by a rapid warming. Seasonally, the warming speed was the fastest in summer and the slowest in autumn. Additionally, it was found that autumn LST had a downward trend of 0.073 °C·yr−1 after 2015. Spatially, the Yangtze River Delta, Hubei province, and central Sichuan province had a significant warming trend in all seasons, except autumn. The northern Guizhou province and Chongqing showed a remarkable cooling trend only in autumn. The Hurst exponent results indicated that the spring LST change was more consistent than the other three seasons. It was found by studying the effect of land cover types on LST changes that sparse vegetation had a more significant effect than dense vegetation. Vegetation greening contributed 0.0187 °C·yr−1 to the increase in LST in winter, which was spatially concentrated in the central region of the YRB. For the other three seasons, vegetation greening slowed the LST increase, and the degree of the effect decreased sequentially in autumn, summer, spring and winter. These results improve the understanding of past and future variations in LST and highlight the importance of vegetation for temperature change mitigation.

Effects of climate change on vegetation and snow cover area in Gilgit Baltistan using MODIS data.

The Hindukush-Karakoram-Himalaya (HKH) mountain ranges are the sources of Asia's most important river systems, which provide fresh water to 1.4 billion inhabitants in the region. Environmental and socioeconomic conditions are affected in many ways by climate change. Globally, climate change has received widespread attention, especially regarding seasonal and annual temperatures. Snow cover is vulnerable to climate warming, particularly temperature variations. By employing Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) datasets and observed data, this study investigated the seasonal and interannual variability using snowcover, vegetation and land surface temperature (LST), and their spatial and temporal trend on different elevations from 2001 to 2020 in these variables in Gilgit Baltistan (GB), northern Pakistan. The study region was categorized into five elevation zones extending from < 2000 to > 7000 masl. Non-parametric Mann-Kendall trend tests and Sen's slope estimates indicate snow cover increases throughout the winter, but decreases significantly between June and July. In contrast, GB has an overall increasing annual LST trend. Pearson correlation coefficient (PCC) reveals a significant positive relationship between vegetation and LST (PCC = 0.73) and a significant negative relationship between LST and snow cover (PCC = - 0.74), and vegetation and snow cover (PCC = - 0.78). Observed temperature data and MODIS LST have a coefficient of determination greater than 0.59. Snow cover decreases at 3000-2000 masl elevations while increases at higher 5000 masl elevations.The vegetation in low and mid-elevation < 4000 masl zones decreases significantly annually. The temperature shows a sharply increasing trend at lower 2000-3000 masl elevations in the autumn, indicating the shifting of the winter seasons at this elevation zone. These findings better explain the spatiotemporal variations in snow cover, vegetation, and LST at various elevation zones and the interactions between these parameters at various elevations across the HKH region.

Spatial and Temporal Variation of Land Surface Temperature and Its Spatially Heterogeneous Response in the Urban Agglomeration on the Northern Slopes of the Tianshan Mountains, Northwest China.

An in-depth study of the influence mechanism of oasis land surface temperature (LST) in arid regions is essential to promote the stable development of the ecological environment in dry areas. Based on MODIS, MYD11A2 long time series data from 2003 to 2020, the Mann–Kendall nonparametric test, the Sen slope, combined with the Hurst index, were used to analyze and predict the trend of LST changes in the urban agglomeration on the northern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains. This paper selected nine influencing factors of the slope, aspect, air temperature, normalized vegetation index (NDVI), precipitation (P), nighttime light index (NTL), patch density (PD), mean patch area (AREA_MN), and aggregation index (AI) to analyze the spatial heterogeneity of LST from global and local perspectives using the geodetector (GD) model and multi-scale geo-weighted regression (MGWR) model. The results showed that the average LSTs of the urban agglomeration on the northern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains in spring, summer, autumn, and winter were 31.53 °C, 47.29 °C, 22.38 °C, and −5.20 °C in the four seasons from 2003 to 2020, respectively. Except for autumn, the LST of all seasons showed an increasing trend, bare soil and grass land had a warming effect, and agricultural land had a cooling effect. The results of factor detection showed that air temperature, P, and NDVI were the dominant factors affecting the spatial variation of LST. The interaction detection results showed that the interaction between air temperature and NDVI was the most significant, and the two-factor interaction was more effective than the single-factor effect on LST. The MGWR model results showed that the effects of PD on LST were positively correlated, and the impact of AREA_MN and AI on LST were negatively correlated, indicating that the dense landscape of patches has a cooling effect on LST. Overall, this study provides information for managers to carry out more targeted ecological stability regulations in arid zone oases and facilitates the development of regulatory measures to maintain the cold island effect and improve the environment.

Modeling on microclimatic variation of land surface temperature and vegetation cover at Rangpur City in Bangladesh

Modeling on microclimatic variation of land surface temperature and vegetation cover at Rangpur City in Bangladesh

Evaluation of earth observation datasets for LST trends over India and its implication in global warming

Land surface temperature (LST) is crucial in surface energy balance, urban climatology, intensifying global change, ecological and environmental concerns. The present study examined the LST trends and spatio-temporal variation over India from 2002 to 2022. This includes comparison of LST for the summer and winter seasons over two decades. Secondly, the present study examined the LULC category wise LST variability during the day and night-time using MODIS (The Terra Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) derived products. This study explored the feasibility of cloud computing for big data analysis for LST distribution in seven landuse categories over India, providing a conceptual response to global warming. Results showed the existence of spatial LST variation due to changes in land-use patterns and MODIS derived vegetation indices- NDVI. Daytime LST for the summer and winter seasons of 2002 was found to be 45.17 °C and 39.13 °C, respectively. Outcomes illustrate declining trends in range (LSTmin-LSTmax) for winter seasons, initially, it was observed as 56.29 °C for 2002 while later on it was observed to be 20.21 °C and 20.87 °C for 2021 and 2022 respectively. The LSTmin (summer) has shown an increasing trend towards upper LST values, from −3.01 °C to 12.21 °C from 2002 TO 2022. LSTmin_winter has shown a rising trend towards the upper LST values from −17.16 °C to 9.15 °C in 2022. The maximum LST for the DRs was observed to be 61.56 °C, followed by UR as 56.24 °C. The findings demonstrate that daytime LSTmin and LSTmax are found to be 19.50 °C to 56.24 °C for UR, 29.5 °C to 61.56 °C for DR, 19.24 °C to 54.08 °C for SAR, −21.1 °C to 0.05 °C for SCR and 15 °C to 32.18 °C for FHR. NDVI-LST (daytime, nighttime and diurnal temperature range) feature space generates an obtuse triangle and depicts a negative correlation of vegetation for a few LULC categories. The outcomes indicated that desert and snow regions have highest LSTmax followed by urban and semiarid regions during daytime. During the nighttime, desert and urban regions have the highest temperature followed by semi-arid and forest regions. The outcomes support the efficacy of earth observation datasets and help to facilitate a better understanding of LULC and its impact on regional climate.

Integrated Approach for Land Surface Temperature Assessment in Different Topography of Iraq

Land Surface Temperature (LST) is a critical parameter for water resources and hydrology investigation. Weather ground stations provide a continuous dataset on the LST. However, some stations rely on discrete events data, which shows limited capabilities to monitor diurnal and annual changes in LST. Remote Sensing technology provided much valid information by using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) to cover LST variations in Iraq. This study aims to analyze LST variation based on MOD11C3 Data with weather ground measurements stations for the different topography periods between 2000-2020. Different statistical parameters were used to validate LST results, including RSME; NSE; R2, and Parson Correlation. The results indicate agreement between MODIS and ground measurement stations during the winter season. The values ranged: RSME (close to zero); NSE (0 to 1); R 2(between 0.5 and 1), and Parson Correlation (between 0.51 to 1).In spring, the values ranged: R 2(between 0.5 and 1) and Parson Correlation (between 0.51 to 1). As the temperature rises during seasonal changes, the congruence in the four statistical indicators begins to decline dramatically. However, Baghdad, Basra, and Mosul stations still appear in good agreement, which is the validity of the data issued by MOD11C3. The finding presented in this research shows that the results of the LST by MOD11C3 are in good agreement and acceptable despite in various topographies of the ground stations.

Assessing spatiotemporal variations in land surface temperature and SUHI intensity with a cloud based computational system over five major cities of India

• The study showed that all cities have undergone a change in LULC pattern. • Concurrent data from space-based sensors for effective disaster response. • The impact of LST and SUHI over the vegetation cover with a cloud-based computing. • Biophysical parameters like NDVI, NDBI, and MNDWI are used for analysis and results derivations. The surface urban heat island (SUHI) is one of the most evident climate phenomena in low- and mid-latitude cities. Extensive growth and intense urbanization has brought a phenomenal change to the urban landscape. The rapid expansion of cities have the potential to generate distinctive local urban climates by increasing land surface temperature (LST) and the intensities of surface urban heat islands (SUHI). The study uses Landsat data in a cloud based computational system to investigate the spatiotemporal variation of land use land cover (LULC) for five major cities (Mumbai, New Delhi, Bangalore, Hyderabad, and Ahmadabad) from 2007 to 2020. Selected biophysical parameters like Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Difference Built-up Index (NDBI), and Modified Normalized Difference Water Index (MNDWI) are used. The interrelationship with the dynamics of LST to analyze the SUHI profiles reveals that the mean LST has a positive correlation for impermeable surfaces and a negative correlation for green surfaces, which are common for all Indian cities and results in degradation of environmental quality. The results obtained from this study showed that all cities have undergone a change in LULC pattern, which induced a rise in overall temperature and SUHI intensity. The expansion of the urban landscape along with the changing vegetation and cropping patterns due to the rise in anthropogenic activities has resulted in susceptible climatic conditions and necessitates further environmental investigations. The findings of the study can be recommended to monitor the impacts of SUHI intensity at different locations for future studies to adapt sustainable urban planning of cities.

Remote Sensing-Based Prediction of Temporal Changes in Land Surface Temperature and Land Use-Land Cover (LULC) in Urban Environments

Pakistan has the highest rate of urbanization in South Asia. The climate change effects felt all over the world have become a priority for regulation agencies and governments at global and regional scales with respect assessing and mitigating the rising temperatures in urban areas. This study investigated the temporal variability in urban microclimate in terms of land surface temperature (LST) and its correlation with land use-land cover (LULC) change in Lahore city for prediction of future impact patterns of LST and LULC. The LST variability was determined using the Landsat Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) and the land surface emissivity factor. The influence of LULC, using the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), the normalized difference building index (NDBI), and the normalized difference bareness index (NDBaI) on the variability LST was investigated applying Landsat Satellite data from 1992 to 2020. The pixel-level multivariate linear regression analysis was employed to compute urban LST and influence of LULC classes. Results revealed that an overall increase of 41.8% in built-up areas at the expense of 24%, 17.4%, and 0.4% decreases in vegetation, bare land, and water from 1992–2020, respectively. Comparison of LST obtained from the meteorological station and satellite images showed a significant coherence. An increase of 4.3 °C in temperature of built-up areas from 1992–2020 was observed. Based on LULC and LST trends, the same were predicted for 2025 and 2030, which revealed that LST may further increase up to 1.3 °C by 2030. These changes in LULC and LST in turn have detrimental effects on local as well as global climate, emphasizing the need to address the issue especially in developing countries like Pakistan.

Reconstruction of land surface temperature under cloudy conditions from Landsat 8 data using annual temperature cycle model

Land surface temperature (LST) is an important parameter in the processes of energy exchange and water cycle between the land surface and the atmosphere. The impact of cloud cover leads to spatially incomplete of thermal infrared (TIR)-based LST products, which seriously hinders the applications of LST products in various fields. Several methods have been developed to reconstruct LST under cloudy conditions in previous studies, but there is a lack of an effective method for the reconstruction of cloudy LST at the spatial resolution of Landsat pixel (30 m). In this study, a novel method was proposed to reconstruct LST under cloudy conditions from Landsat 8 data. The LST reconstruction method includes four main steps: (1) identification of cloud-free, cloud-shadow, cloud-obscured, and cloud-covered pixels by integrating the Fmask method with a cloud-shape matching method; (2) calculation of annual temperature cycle (ATC)-based reference LST by fitting an ATC model to all available Landsat 8 LST product during 2013-2020; (3) estimation of LST residual from spatially adjacent similar pixels; and (4) estimation of reconstructed LST in terms of the sum of ATC-based reference LST and LST residual. The performance of the LST reconstruction method was evaluated using Landsat 8 LST images under clear-sky conditions as reference data. The root mean squared error (RMSE) between reconstructed LST and Landsat 8 reference LST ranges from 0.9 K to 2.5 K. The LST reconstruction method was further applied to reconstruct actual Landsat 8 LST images under cloudy conditions. Compared with original Landsat 8 LST images, the spatial distribution of reconstructed LST images is more complete. The pattern of reconstructed LST images reflects the spatial variability of LST well. The accuracy of the LST reconstruction method was validated against in situ LST measurements at six SURFRAD (Surface Radiation Budget Network) sites. The overall bias and RMSE between reconstructed LST and in situ LST at all sites are approximately −0.3 K and 3.5 K, respectively. The LST reconstruction method has great potentials to improve the applications of Landsat LST product in urban thermal environment monitoring and crop water stress monitoring.

Background climate modulates the impact of land cover on urban surface temperature

Cities with different background climates experience different thermal environments. Many studies have investigated land cover effects on surface urban heat in individual cities. However, a quantitative understanding of how background climates modify the thermal impact of urban land covers remains elusive. Here, we characterise land cover and their impacts on land surface temperature (LST) for 54 highly populated cities using Landsat-8 imagery. Results show that urban surface characteristics and their thermal response are distinctly different across various climate regimes, with the largest difference for cities in arid climates. Cold cities show the largest seasonal variability, with the least seasonality in tropical and arid cities. In tropical, temperate, and cold climates, normalised difference built-up index (NDBI) is the strongest contributor to LST variability during warm months followed by normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI), while normalised difference bareness index (NDBaI) is the most important factor in arid climates. These findings provide a climate-sensitive basis for future land cover planning oriented at mitigating local surface warming.

Estimation of Urban-Rural Land Surface Temperature Difference at Different Elevations in the Qinling-Daba Mountains Using MODIS and the Random Forest Model.

Land surface temperature (LST) variations are very complex in mountainous areas owing to highly heterogeneous terrain and varied environment, which complicates the surface urban heat island (SUHI) in mountain cities. Previous studies on the urban heat island (UHI) effect mostly focus on the flat terrain areas; there are few studies on the UHI effect in mountainous areas, especially on the influence of elevation on the SUHI effect. To determine the SUHI in the Qinling–Daba mountains (China), MODIS LST data were first preprocessed and converted to the same elevations (1500 m, 2000 m, 2500 m, 3000 m, and 3500 m) using a digital elevation model and the random forest method. Then, the average LSTs in urban land, rural land, and cultivated land were calculated separately based on the ranges of the invariable urban, rural, and cultivated areas during 2010–2018, and the urban, rural, and cultivated land LST difference were estimated for the same elevations. Results showed that the accuracy of LST estimated using the random forest method is very high (R2 ≥ 0.9) at elevations of 1500 m, 2000 m, 2500 m, 3000 m and 3500 m. The difference in urban, rural, and cultivated lands’ LST has a trend of decrease with increasing elevation, meaning that the SUHI weakens at higher elevations. The average LST of urban areas is 0.52–0.59 °C (0.42–0.57 °C) higher than that of rural and cultivated areas at an elevation of 1500 m (2000 m). The average LST of urban areas is 0.10–1.25 °C lower than that of rural and cultivated areas at elevations of 2500 m, 3000 m, and 3500 m, indicating absence of the SUHI at those elevations.

Spatio-temporal variations of land surface temperature using Landsat and MODIS: case study of the City of Tshwane, South Africa

Urbanisation is accelerating urban land use dynamics and this has a significant impact on land surface temperature (LST). Impervious surfaces and increase in air pollution has led to the increase in land surface temperature. This study reports on the use of geospatial technologies to monitor and quantify changes in LST using remotely sensed data in the City of Tshwane. Land surface temperature was retrieved using the winter and summer Landsat datasets for 1997 and 2015 and the MODIS data from 2000 to 2015. Land surface temperature was extracted using emissivity and satellite temperature as input parameters. The spatial and temporal variations in the LST were retrieved to show the effects of land cover change on LST. Change in LST was also analysed on different land cover types using transects across the study area. The study revealed an increase in land surface temperature between the years. It also showed that impervious surfaces had a higher LST compared to the non-impervious surfaces. The results revealed variations in LST between non-cropped and cropped agricultural areas, where the former had higher LST than the latter. Temporal trends revealed a notable increase in LST in the urban areas and there were some seasonal variations in LST with high LST values in summer and low values in winter. Cross-section analysis along transects revealed spatio-temporal thermal variations across different land cover types.

Exploring seasonal diurnal surface temperature variation in cities based on ECOSTRESS data: A local climate zone perspective.

High urban temperatures affect city livability and may be harmful for inhabitants. Analyzing spatial and temporal differences in surface temperature and the thermal impact of urban morphological heterogeneity can promote strategies to improve the insulation of the urban thermal environment. Therefore, we analyzed the diurnal variation of land surface temperature (LST) and seasonal differences in the Fifth Ring Road area of Beijing from the perspective of the Local Climate Zone (LCZ) using latest ECOSTRESS data. We used ECOSTRESS LST data with a resolution of 70 m to accurately interpret the effects of urban morphology on the local climate. The study area was dominated by the LCZ9 type (sparse low-rise buildings) and natural LCZ types, such as LCZA/B (woodland), LCZD (grassland), and LCZG (water body), mainly including park landscapes. There were significant differences in LST observed in different seasons as well as day and night. During daytime, LST was ranked as follows: summer > spring > autumn > winter. During night-time, it was ranked as follows: summer > autumn > spring > winter. All data indicated that the highest and lowest LST was observed in summer and winter, respectively. LST was consistent with LCZ in terms of spatial distribution. Overall, the LST of each LCZ during daytime was higher than that of night-time during different seasons (except winter), and the average LST of each LCZ during the diurnal period in summer was higher than that of other seasons. The LST of each LCZ during daytime in winter was lower than that of the corresponding night-time, which indicates that it is colder in the daytime during winter. The results presented herein can facilitate improved analysis of spatial and temporal differences in surface temperature in urban areas, leading to the development of strategies aimed at improving livability and public health in cities.

Integrated Influencing Mechanism of Potential Drivers on Seasonal Variability of LST in Kolkata Municipal Corporation, India

Increasing land surface temperature (LST) is one of the major anthropogenic issues and is significantly threatening the urban areas of the world. Therefore, this study was designed to examine the spatial variations and patterns of LST during the different seasons in relation to influencing factors in Kolkata Municipality Corporation (KMC), a city of India. The spatial distribution of LST was analyzed regarding the different surface types and used 25 influencing factors from 6 categories of variables to explain the variability of LST during the different seasons. All-subset regression and hierarchical partitioning analyses were used to estimate the explanatory potential and independent effects of influencing factors. The results show that high and low LST corresponded to the artificial lands and bodies of water for all seasons. In the individual category regression model, surface properties gave the highest explanatory rate for all seasons. The explanatory rates and the combination of influencing factors with their independent effects on the LST were changed for the different seasons. The explanatory rates of integration of all influencing factors were 89.4%, 81.4%, and 88.7% in the summer, transition, and winter season, respectively. With the decreasing of LST (summer to transition, then to winter) more influencing factors were required to explain the LST. In the integrated regression model, surface properties were the most important factor in summer and winter, and landscape configuration was the most important factor in the transition season. LST is not the result of single categories of influencing factors. Along with the effects of surface properties, socio-economic parameters, landscape compositions and configurations, topographic parameters and pollutant parameters mostly explained the variability of LST in the transition (11.22%) and summer season (15.22%), respectively. These findings can help to take management strategies to reduce urban LST based on local planning.

Examining the relationship between land surface temperature and landscape features using spectral indices with Google Earth Engine

Land surface temperature (LST) is strongly influenced by landscape features as they change the thermal characteristics of the surface greatly. Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), Normalized Difference Built-up Index (NDBI), and Normalized Difference Bareness Index (NDBAI) correspond to vegetation cover, water bodies, impervious build-ups, and bare lands, respectively. These indices were utilized to demonstrate the relationship between multiple landscape features and LST using the spectral indices derived from images of Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper (TM), and Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) of Sylhet Sadar Upazila (2000–2018). Google Earth Engine (GEE) cloud computing platform was used to filter, process, and analyze trends with logistic regression. LST and other spectral indices were calculated. Changes in LST (2000–2018) range from −6 °C to +4 °C in the study area. Because of higher vegetation cover and reserve forest, the north-eastern part of the study region had the greatest variations in LST. The spectral indices corresponding to landscape features have a considerable explanatory capacity for describing LST scenarios. The correlation of these indices with LST ranges from −0.52 (NDBI) to +0.57 (NDVI).

Effects of the Nature of Urban Development on Land Surface Temperature (LST) at the Neighbourhood Scale in Dhaka City, Bangladesh

This study investigated the effects of the nature of urban development on land surface temperature (LST) and the strengths of different biophysical and anthropogenic factors in explaining the spatial variation of LST at the neighbourhood scale in Dhaka city, Bangladesh. Landsat 5 TM and Landsat 8 Operational Land Imager (OLI) images were used to retrieve LST. The study found that the mean LST in Dhaka increased at a rate of 1.26°C per decade between 1991 and 2014. LST is found to be higher in the built-up areas, particularly in informally developed areas (i.e., slum settlements) and unplanned mixed-use areas. The OLS analysis indicates that along with bio-physical factors population density, building density and slum concentrations also have a significant effect on the spatial variation of LST at neighbourhood scales. The study findings suggest a planned development with the provision of vegetation cover and water bodies can significantly reduce the LST in Dhaka.

Spatial heterogeneity of first flowering date in Beijing's main urban area and its response to urban thermal environment.

Phenology - the rhythm of periodic plant life cycle events - was significantly shaped by urban climate, with flowering as one most sensitive phenophase. Apart from the widely noticed urban-rural phenological discrepancy caused by heat island effect, driven by the aggravating spatial unevenness of urban thermal environment, the spatial heterogeneity of flowering time was also found within the urbanized area of some metropolitans, bringing multiple impacts on urban ecology, landscape and public health. This research aimed to reveal the intraurban spatial variation and response characteristics of Beijing's trees flowering phenology that remained largely unclear before. We analyzed the spatial heterogeneity pattern of the first flowering date (FFD) for 42 deciduous woody species in Beijing's main urban area (MUA), and explored the species-specific phenological response to local thermal environment. The sample plots were set in 9 green spaces distributing from urban center to northwest suburb in Beijing's MUA, the FFD data was collected by ground-based phenological observation, and local thermal environment was measured with land surface temperature (LST) retrieved from MOD11A1 products. The main results are as follows: (1) A significant spatial variation for FFD existed among 9 sample plots and the maximum spatial difference of FFD reached 6.76 ± 1.77days in average, FFD showed an overall delay trend from urban center in 2nd Ring to outskirts beyond 5th Ring with 3rd Ring as a critical line for significant phenological difference. (2) The FFD of 35 species was found to be negatively correlated with [Formula: see text] (average of daily mean LST above 0°C before mean FFD) in the sample plot (p < 0.05) with a response sensitivity of 2.99 ± 0.87days/°C, which reflected the significant impact of LST variation during flower development period. Furthermore, the spatial difference and response sensitivity of FFD for a specific species were found to be negatively associated with its mean FFD value (p < 0.05), i.e., the flowering time of early-blooming species tended to be more sensitive to thermal environment variation compared with late-blooming ones. This research illustrated how flowering phenology responded to the heterogeneous intraurban thermal environment in Beijing's MUA, which can improve our understanding of the vegetation dynamics in a constantly changing urban environment. And as a critical indicator of trees' climate vulnerability assessment, the species-specific phenological response sensitivity could also guide species selection in urban forest construction.

Temporal and Spatial Variation of Land Surface Temperature and Its Driving Factors in Zhengzhou City in China from 2005 to 2020

Rapid urbanization is an important factor leading to the rise in surface temperature. How to effectively reduce the land surface temperature (LST) has become a significant proposition of city planning. For the exploration of LST and the urban heat island (UHI) effect in Zhengzhou, China, the LST was divided into seven grades, and the main driving factors of LST change and their internal relations were discussed by correlation analysis and gray correlation analysis. The results indicated that LST showed an upward trend from 2005 to 2020, and a mutation occurred in 2013. Compared with 2005, the mean value of LST in 2020 increased by 0.92 °C, while the percentage of LST-enhanced areas was 22.77. Furthermore, the spatial pattern of UHI was irregularly distributed, gradually spreading from north to south from 2005 to 2020; it showed a large block distribution in the main city and southeast in 2020, while, in the areas where woodlands were concentrated and in the Yellow River Basin, there was an obvious “cold island” effect. In addition, trend analysis and gray correlation analysis revealed that human factors were positively correlated with LST, which intensified the formation of the UHI effect, and the influence of Albedo on LST showed obvious spatial heterogeneity, while the cooling effect of vegetation water was better than that of topography. The research results can deepen the understanding of the driving mechanism of the UHI effect, as well as provide scientific support for improving the quality of the urban human settlement environment.