Satellite-based diurnal and seasonal thermal patterns of natural, agricultural, and urban land-cover vs. soil type in Florida

摘要

A study of the surface temperature patterns of Florida land-cover types was conducted using a geographic information system (GIS) database which included processed satellite thermal-infrared imagery and digital maps of land-cover, soil type, and climate zone. Land-cover was the most detailed layer, comprised of several subtypes of each of the three basic types--natural, agricultural, and urban/ industrial. The soil-type layer included broad categories relevant to remote sensing scales and surface hydrology. Three climate zones were considered. Satellite imagery (AVHRR) was obtained for diurnal (afternoon, night) and seasonal (winter, spring) analyses. Results indicated that both soil type and land-cover type had a strong relationship to diurnal and seasonal variations in temperature patterns. A primary conclusion is that comparisons of the thermal impacts of land-cover types ("heat island" and "oasis" effects) need to be made with respect to soil type, rather than as standalone generalizations.