scholarly journals Do natural landscapes contribute to reducing Land Surface Temperature (LST)? A case study from Muthurajawela wetland, Sri Lanka

2022 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 3329-3339
Author(s):  
Harsha Dahanayake ◽  
Deepthi Wickramasinghe ◽  
DDGL Dahanayaka

Microclimate regulation is one of the most significant ecosystem services provided by wetlands. The present study attempted to investigate the cooling effect provided by Muthurajawela, a coastal Ramsar wetland using Remote Sensing and GIS. The variation of Land Surface Temperatures (LST) over different land use categories of natural (water bodies, marsh, thick vegetation, grassland) and anthropogenic (built-up areas, coconut cultivations and bare lands) areas in 2015 and 2020. Parameters including Satellite Brightness Temperature, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, Proportion of Vegetation and Land Surface Emissivity were calculated along eight transects starting from the center of the water body and extending up to 5 km from the boundary of the wetland. The results revealed that LST over areas under natural land cover (2015 - mean 25.040C, 2020 - mean 23.360C) were significantly lower than that of areas under anthropogenic influence (2015 - mean 26.520C and 2020 - mean 26.220C). The lowest increase of LST was over the water body and the highest was over the built-up areas indicating the buffering capacity of wetlands. As air temperatures are highly linked to LST, our findings suggest that wetlands contribute to lower atmospheric temperature and offer cooling effects during dry months. Acknowledging the importance of wetlands in reducing temperature, at least in a local scale, justifies the need of conserving these ecosystems, as seeking mitigatory measures for climate change driven frequent heating effects is challenging.

2015 ◽  
Vol 19 (19) ◽  
pp. 1-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter A. Bieniek ◽  
Uma S. Bhatt ◽  
Donald A. Walker ◽  
Martha K. Raynolds ◽  
Josefino C. Comiso ◽  
...  

Abstract The mechanisms driving trends and variability of the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) for tundra in Alaska along the Beaufort, east Chukchi, and east Bering Seas for 1982–2013 are evaluated in the context of remote sensing, reanalysis, and meteorological station data as well as regional modeling. Over the entire season the tundra vegetation continues to green; however, biweekly NDVI has declined during the early part of the growing season in all of the Alaskan tundra domains. These springtime declines coincide with increased snow depth in spring documented in northern Alaska. The tundra region generally has warmed over the summer but intraseasonal analysis shows a decline in midsummer land surface temperatures. The midsummer cooling is consistent with recent large-scale circulation changes characterized by lower sea level pressures, which favor increased cloud cover. In northern Alaska, the sea-breeze circulation is strengthened with an increase in atmospheric moisture/cloudiness inland when the land surface is warmed in a regional model, suggesting the potential for increased vegetation to feedback onto the atmospheric circulation that could reduce midsummer temperatures. This study shows that both large- and local-scale climate drivers likely play a role in the observed seasonality of NDVI trends.


Technologies ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 40
Author(s):  
Guang Yang ◽  
Yuntao Ma ◽  
Jiaqi Hu

The boundary of urban built-up areas is the baseline data of a city. Rapid and accurate monitoring of urban built-up areas is the prerequisite for the boundary control and the layout of urban spaces. In recent years, the night light satellite sensors have been employed in urban built-up area extraction. However, the existing extraction methods have not fully considered the properties that directly reflect the urban built-up areas, like the land surface temperature. This research first converted multi-source data into a uniform projection, geographic coordinate system and resampling size. Then, a fused variable that integrated the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program/Operational Linescan System (DMSP/OLS) night light images, the Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) surface temperature product and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) product was designed to extract the built-up areas. The fusion results showed that the values of the proposed index presented a sharper gradient within a smaller spatial range, compared with the only night light images. The extraction results were tested in both the area sizes and the spatial locations. The proposed index performed better in both accuracies (average error rate 1.10%) and visual perspective. We further discussed the regularity of the optimal thresholds in the final boundary determination. The optimal thresholds of the proposed index were more stable in different cases on the premise of higher accuracies.


Atmosphere ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 12
Author(s):  
Yulia Ivanova ◽  
Anton Kovalev ◽  
Vlad Soukhovolsky

The paper considers a new approach to modeling the relationship between the increase in woody phytomass in the pine forest and satellite-derived Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Land Surface Temperature (LST) (MODIS/AQUA) data. The developed model combines the phenological and forest growth processes. For the analysis, NDVI and LST (MODIS) satellite data were used together with the measurements of tree-ring widths (TRW). NDVI data contain features of each growing season. The models include parameters of parabolic approximation of NDVI and LST time series transformed using principal component analysis. The study shows that the current rate of TRW is determined by the total values of principal components of the satellite indices over the season and the rate of tree increment in the preceding year.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 1641
Author(s):  
Yunfei Zhang ◽  
Yunhao Chen ◽  
Jing Li ◽  
Xi Chen

Land-surface temperature (LST) plays a key role in the physical processes of surface energy and water balance from local through global scales. The widely used one kilometre resolution daily Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) LST product has missing values due to the influence of clouds. Therefore, a large number of clear-sky LST reconstruction methods have been developed to obtain spatially continuous LST datasets. However, the clear-sky LST is a theoretical value that is often an overestimate of the real value. In fact, the real LST (also known as cloudy-sky LST) is more necessary and more widely used. The existing cloudy-sky LST algorithms are usually somewhat complicated, and the accuracy needs to be improved. It is necessary to convert the clear-sky LST obtained by the currently better-developed methods into cloudy-sky LST. We took the clear-sky LST, cloud-cover duration, downward shortwave radiation, albedo and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) as five independent variables and the real LST at the ground stations as the dependent variable to perform multiple linear regression. The mean absolute error (MAE) of the cloudy-sky LST retrieved by this method ranged from 3.5–3.9 K. We further analyzed different cases of the method, and the results suggested that this method has good flexibility. When we chose fewer independent variables, different clear-sky algorithms, or different regression tools, we also achieved good results. In addition, the method calculation process was relatively simple and can be applied to other research areas. This study preliminarily explored the influencing factors of the real LST and can provide a possible option for researchers who want to obtain cloudy-sky LST through clear-sky LST, that is, a convenient conversion method. This article lays the foundation for subsequent research in various fields that require real LST.


2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (24) ◽  
pp. 4181
Author(s):  
Kunlun Xiang ◽  
Wenping Yuan ◽  
Liwen Wang ◽  
Yujiao Deng

Accurate spatial information about irrigation is crucial to a variety of applications, such as water resources management, water exchange between the land surface and atmosphere, climate change, hydrological cycle, food security, and agricultural planning. Our study proposes a new method for extracting cropland irrigation information using statistical data, mean annual precipitation and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) land cover type data and surface reflectance data. The approach is based on comparing the land surface water index (LSWI) of cropland pixels to that of adjacent forest pixels with similar normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). In our study, we validated the approach over mainland China with 612 reference samples (231 irrigated and 381 non-irrigated) and found the accuracy of 62.09%. Validation with statistical data also showed that our method explained 86.67 and 58.87% of the spatial variation in irrigated area at the provincial and prefecture levels, respectively. We further compared our new map to existing datasets of FAO/UF, IWMI, Zhu and statistical data, and found a good agreement with the irrigated area distribution from Zhu’s dataset. Results show that our method is an effective method apply to mapping irrigated regions and monitoring their yearly changes. Because the method does not depend on training samples, it can be easily repeated to other regions.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 323
Author(s):  
Liang Chen ◽  
Xuelei Wang ◽  
Xiaobin Cai ◽  
Chao Yang ◽  
Xiaorong Lu

Rapid urbanization greatly alters land surface vegetation cover and heat distribution, leading to the development of the urban heat island (UHI) effect and seriously affecting the healthy development of cities and the comfort of living. As an indicator of urban health and livability, monitoring the distribution of land surface temperature (LST) and discovering its main impacting factors are receiving increasing attention in the effort to develop cities more sustainably. In this study, we analyzed the spatial distribution patterns of LST of the city of Wuhan, China, from 2013 to 2019. We detected hot and cold poles in four seasons through clustering and outlier analysis (based on Anselin local Moran’s I) of LST. Furthermore, we introduced the geographical detector model to quantify the impact of six physical and socio-economic factors, including the digital elevation model (DEM), index-based built-up index (IBI), modified normalized difference water index (MNDWI), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), population, and Gross Domestic Product (GDP) on the LST distribution of Wuhan. Finally, to identify the influence of land cover on temperature, the LST of croplands, woodlands, grasslands, and built-up areas was analyzed. The results showed that low temperatures are mainly distributed over water and woodland areas, followed by grasslands; high temperatures are mainly concentrated over built-up areas. The maximum temperature difference between land covers occurs in spring and summer, while this difference can be ignored in winter. MNDWI, IBI, and NDVI are the key driving factors of the thermal values change in Wuhan, especially of their interaction. We found that the temperature of water area and urban green space (woodlands and grasslands) tends to be 5.4 °C and 2.6 °C lower than that of built-up areas. Our research results can contribute to the urban planning and urban greening of Wuhan and promote the healthy and sustainable development of the city.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Gaetana Ganci ◽  
Annalisa Cappello ◽  
Giuseppe Bilotta ◽  
Giuseppe Pollicino ◽  
Luigi Lodato

<p>The application of remote sensing for monitoring, detecting and analysing the spatial and extents and temporal changes of waste dumping sites and landfills could become a cost-effective and powerful solution. Multi-spectral satellite images, especially in the thermal infrared, can be exploited to characterize the state of activity of a landfill.  Indeed, waste disposal sites, during the period of activity, can show differences in surface temperature (LST, Land Surface Temperature), state of vegetation (estimated through NDVI, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index) or soil moisture (estimated through NDWI, Normalized Difference Water Index) compared to neighboring areas. Landfills with organic waste typically show higher temperatures than surrounding areas due to exothermic decomposition activities. In fact, the biogas, in the absence or in case of inefficiency of the conveying plants, rises through the layers of organic matter and earth (landfill body) until it reaches the surface at a temperature of over 40 ° C. Moreover, in some cases, leachate contamination of the aquifers can be identified by analyzing the soil moisture, through the estimate of the NDWI, and the state of suffering of the vegetation surrounding the site, through the estimate of the NDVI. This latter can also be an indicator of soil contamination due to the presence of toxic and potentially dangerous waste when buried or present nearby. To take into account these facts, we combine the LST, NDVI and NDWI indices of the dump site and surrounding areas in order to characterize waste disposal sites. Preliminary results show how this approach can bring out the area and level of activity of known landfill sites. This could prove particularly useful for the definition of intervention priorities in landfill remediation works.</p>


2015 ◽  
Vol 9 (5) ◽  
pp. 1879-1893 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. Atlaskina ◽  
F. Berninger ◽  
G. de Leeuw

Abstract. Thirteen years of Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) surface albedo data for the Northern Hemisphere during the spring months (March–May) were analyzed to determine temporal and spatial changes over snow-covered land surfaces. Tendencies in land surface albedo change north of 50° N were analyzed using data on snow cover fraction, air temperature, vegetation index and precipitation. To this end, the study domain was divided into six smaller areas, based on their geographical position and climate similarity. Strong differences were observed between these areas. As expected, snow cover fraction (SCF) has a strong influence on the albedo in the study area and can explain 56 % of variation of albedo in March, 76 % in April and 92 % in May. Therefore the effects of other parameters were investigated only for areas with 100 % SCF. The second largest driver for snow-covered land surface albedo changes is the air temperature when it exceeds a value between −15 and −10 °C, depending on the region. At monthly mean air temperatures below this value no albedo changes are observed. The Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI) and precipitation amount and frequency were independently examined as possible candidates to explain observed changes in albedo for areas with 100 % SCF. Amount and frequency of precipitation were identified to influence the albedo over some areas in Eurasia and North America, but no clear effects were observed in other areas. EVI is positively correlated with albedo in Chukotka Peninsula and negatively in eastern Siberia. For other regions the spatial variability of the correlation fields is too high to reach any conclusions.


2021 ◽  
pp. 912-926
Author(s):  
Fadel Abbas Zwain ◽  
Thair Thamer Al-Samarrai ◽  
Younus I. Al-Saady

Iraq territory as a whole and south of Iraq in particular encountered rapid desertification and signs of severe land degradation in the last decades. Both natural and anthropogenic factors are responsible for the extent of desertification. Remote sensing data and image analysis tools were employed to identify, detect, and monitor desertification in Basra governorate. Different remote sensing indicators and image indices were applied in order to better identify the desertification development in the study area, including the Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI), Salinity index (SI), Top Soil Grain Size Index (GSI) , Land Surface Temperature (LST) , Land Surface Soil Moisture (LSM), and Land Degradation Risk Index (LDI) which was used for the assessment of degradation severity .Three Landsat images, acquired in 1973, 1993, and 2013, were used to evaluate the potential of using remote sensing analysis in desertification monitoring. The approach applied in this study for evaluating this phenomenon was proven to be an effective tool for the recognition of areas at risk of desertification. The results indicated that the arid zone of Basra governorate encounters substantial changes in the environment, such as decreasing surface water, degradation of agricultural lands (as palm orchards and crops), and deterioration of marshlands. Additional changes include increased salinization with the creeping of sand dunes to agricultural areas, as well as the impacts of oil fields and other facilities.


2021 ◽  
Vol 20 (2) ◽  
pp. 1-19
Author(s):  
Tahmid Anam Chowdhury ◽  
◽  
Md. Saiful Islam ◽  

Urban developments in the cities of Bangladesh are causing the depletion of natural land covers over the past several decades. One of the significant implications of the developments is a change in Land Surface Temperature (LST). Through LST distribution in different Land Use Land Cover (LULC) and a statistical association among LST and biophysical indices, i.e., Urban Index (UI), Bare Soil Index (BI), Normalized Difference Builtup Index (NDBI), Normalized Difference Bareness Index (NDBaI), Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and Modified Normalized Difference Water Index (MNDWI), this paper studied the implications of LULC change on the LST in Mymensingh city. Landsat TM and OLI/TIRS satellite images were used to study LULC through the maximum likelihood classification method and LSTs for 1989, 2004, and 2019. The accuracy of LULC classifications was 84.50, 89.50, and 91.00 for three sampling years, respectively. From 1989 to 2019, the area and average LST of the built-up category has been increased by 24.99% and 7.6ºC, respectively. Compared to vegetation and water bodies, built-up and barren soil regions have a greater LST each year. A different machine learning method was applied to simulate LULC and LST in 2034. A remarkable change in both LULC and LST was found through this simulation. If the current changing rate of LULC continues, the built-up area will be 59.42% of the total area, and LST will be 30.05ºC on average in 2034. The LST in 2034 will be more than 29ºC and 31ºC in 59.64% and 23.55% areas of the city, respectively.


Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document