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Variation in the urban vegetation, surface temperature, air temperature nexus
Sheri A Shiflett1, Liyin L Liang2, Steven M Crum1
1Department of Botany and Plant Sciences, University of California, Riverside, California, USA.
The Science of the Total Environment
|November 30, 2016
Summary
Urban vegetation significantly impacts air temperature (Ta) and land surface temperature (LST). This study reveals vegetation
Area of Science:
- Urban Climatology
- Environmental Science
- Remote Sensing
Background:
- Urban vegetation's cooling effect is known for land surface temperature (LST), but its impact on air temperature (Ta) and the LST-Ta relationship is less understood.
- Characterizing urban heat islands and global warming often relies on Ta, making vegetation's influence on it crucial.
- Understanding the nexus between urban vegetation, Ta, and LST is vital for urban climate dynamics.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the urban vegetation-air temperature (Ta)-land surface temperature (LST) nexus at micro- and regional scales.
- To quantify the effects of vegetation on Ta and its interaction with LST.
- To assess the uncertainty in using satellite-based LST for characterizing Ta.
Main Methods:
- Deployed 300 air temperature sensors across greater Los Angeles to capture summer Ta variations.
- Collected new imagery data for calculating Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and LST across the study region.
- Measured microscale Ta at different heights (0.1m and 2m) and groundcovers (bare soil, grass, citrus canopy).
Main Results:
- Microscale: Daytime Ta was 3-6°C cooler under canopy compared to bare ground.
- Regional scale: NDVI and LST showed a significant negative correlation (p<0.001).
- Ta-LST relationships weakened inland and were strongest during nighttime; vegetation's Ta cooling effect increased in arid regions and during heat waves.
Conclusions:
- Vegetation plays a complex and significant role in modulating both LST and Ta.
- Vegetation may offer a negative feedback mechanism against urban climate warming.
- Findings highlight the importance of vegetation in urban climate regulation and the nuances of using LST to infer Ta.
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