Abstract:The successful launch of the Landsat 8 satellite with two thermal infrared bands on February 11, 2013, for continuous Earth observation provided another opportunity for remote sensing of land surface temperature (LST). However, calibration notices issued by the United States Geological Survey (USGS) indicated that data from the Landsat 8 Thermal Infrared Sensor (TIRS) Band 11 have large uncertainty and suggested using TIRS Band 10 data as a single spectral band for LST estimation. In this study, we presented an improved mono-window (IMW) algorithm for LST retrieval from the Landsat 8 TIRS Band 10 data. Three essential parameters (ground emissivity, atmospheric transmittance and effective mean atmospheric temperature) were required for the IMW algorithm to retrieve LST. A new method was proposed to estimate the parameter of effective mean atmospheric temperature from local meteorological data. The other two essential parameters could be both estimated through the so-called land cover approach. Sensitivity analysis conducted for OPEN ACCESSRemote Sens. 2015, 7 4269 the IMW algorithm revealed that the possible error in estimating the required atmospheric water vapor content has the most significant impact on the probable LST estimation error. Under moderate errors in both water vapor content and ground emissivity, the algorithm had an accuracy of ~1.4 K for LST retrieval. Validation of the IMW algorithm using the simulated datasets for various situations indicated that the LST difference between the retrieved and the simulated ones was 0.67 K on average, with an RMSE of 0.43 K. Comparison of our IMW algorithm with the single-channel (SC) algorithm for three main atmosphere profiles indicated that the average error and RMSE of the IMW algorithm were −0.05 K and 0.84 K, respectively, which were less than the −2.86 K and 1.05 K of the SC algorithm. Application of the IMW algorithm to Nanjing and its vicinity in east China resulted in a reasonable LST estimation for the region. Spatial variation of the extremely hot weather, a frequently-occurring phenomenon of an abnormal heat flux process in summer along the Yangtze River Basin, had been thoroughly analyzed. This successful application suggested that the IMW algorithm presented in the study could be used as an efficient method for LST retrieval from the Landsat 8 TIRS Band 10 data.

Abstract. Nanjing, a typical megacity in eastern China, has undergone dramatic expansion during the past decade. The surface urban heat island (SUHI) effect is an important indicator of the environmental consequences of urbanization and has rapidly changed the dynamics of Nanjing. Accurate measurements of the effects and changes resulting from the SUHI effect may provide useful information for urban planning. Index, centroid transfer, and correlation analyses were conducted to measure the dynamics of the SUHI and elucidate the relationship between the SUHI and urban expansion in Nanjing over the past decade. Overall, the results indicated that (1) the region affected by the SUHI effect gradually expanded southward and eastward from 2000 to 2012; (2) the centroid of the SUHI moved gradually southeastward and then southward and southwestward, which is consistent with the movement of the urban centroid; (3) the trajectory of the level-3 SUHI centroid did not correspond with the urban mass or SUHI centroids during the study period and (4) the SUHI intensity and urban fractal characteristics were negatively correlated. In addition, we presented insights regarding the minimization of the SUHI effect in cities such as Nanjing, China.

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