Satellite-derived urban heat islands from three coastal cities and the utilization of such data in urban climatology

Abstract NOAA AVHRR satellite infra-red data are used to display the surface radiant temperature heat islands of Vancouver, British Columbia, Seattle, Washington, and Los Angeles, California. Heat island intensities are largest in the day-time and in the warm season. Day-time intra-urban thermal patterns are strongly correlated with land-use; industrial areas are warmest and vegetated, riverine or coastal areas are coolest. Nocturnal heat island intensities and the correlation of the surface radiant temperature distribution with land use are less. This is the reverse of the known characteristics of near-surface air temperature heat islands. Several questions relating to the interpretation and limitations of satellite data in heat island analysis and urban climate modelling are addressed.

[1]  M. Parry,et al.  The climate of London , 1966 .

[2]  Timothy R. Oke,et al.  The distinction between canopy and boundary‐layer urban heat islands , 1976 .

[3]  T. J. Chandler.  Urban climatology and its relevance to urban design , 1976 .

[4]  J. E. Lewis,et al.  URBAN TERRAIN CLIMATOLOGY AND REMOTE SENSING , 1976 .

[5]  D. Mcginnis,et al.  Satellite Detection of Urban Heat Islands , 1978 .

[6]  Frederick E. Boland,et al.  Analysis of Urban-Rural Canopy Using a Surface Heat Flux/Temperature Model , 1978 .

[7]  J. Monteith,et al.  Boundary Layer Climates. , 1979 .

[8]  J. C. Price,et al.  Assessment of the urban heat island effect through the use of satellite data , 1979 .

[9]  T. Oke.  Canyon geometry and the nocturnal urban heat island: Comparison of scale model and field observations , 1981 .

[10]  J. Foster,et al.  SATELLITE OBSERVATIONS OF ENGLAND AND NORTH‐WESTERN EUROPE , 1981 .

[11]  S. Goward.  THERMAL BEHAVIOR OF URBAN LANDSCAPES AND THE URBAN HEAT ISLAND , 1981 .

[12]  T. Carlson,et al.  Satellite Estimation of the Surface Energy Balance, Moisture Availability and Thermal Inertia. , 1981 .

[13]  A. Arnfield.  AN APPROACH TO THE ESTIMATION OF THE SURFACE RADIATIVE PROPERTIES AND RADIATION BUDGETS OF CITIES , 1982 .

[14]  T. Oke.  The energetic basis of the urban heat island , 1982 .

[15]  F. Vukovich.  An Analysis of the Ground Temperature and Reflectivity Pattern about St. Louis, Missouri, Using HCMM Satellite Data , 1983 .

[16]  A. Hoyano.  Relationships between the type of residential area and the aspects of surface temperature and solar reflectance (based on digital image analysis using airborne multispectral scanner data) , 1984 .

[17]  Y. Goldreich,et al.  The Structure of the Ground-Level Heat Island in a Central Business District , 1985 .

[18]  J. Mattsson,et al.  Canyon geometry, street temperatures and urban heat island in malmö, sweden , 1985 .

[19]  T. Carlson.  Regional‐scale estimates of surface moisture availability and thermal inertia using remote thermal measurements , 1986 .

[20]  S. Kidder,et al.  A multispectral study of the St. Louis area under snow-covered conditions using NOAA-7 AVHRR data , 1987 .