Satellite-based adjustments for the urban heat island temperature bias

Monthly and seasonal relationships between urban-rural differences in minimum, maximum, and average temperatures measured at surface based observation stations were compared to satellite-derived Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer estimates of a normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) and surface radiant temperature (T-sfc).The relationships between surface- and satellite-derived. variables were developed during 1989-91 and tested on data acquired during 1992-93. The urban-rural differences in;air temperature were linearly related to urban-rural differences in the NDVI and T-sfc. A statistically significant but relatively small (less than 40%) amount of the variation in these urban-rural differences in air temperature [the urban heat island (UHI) bias] was associated with variation in the urban-rural differences in NDVI and T-sfc. A comparison of the satellite-based estimates of the UHI bias with population-based estimates. of the UHI bias indicated similar levels of error. The use of satellite-derived data may contribute to a globally consistent method for analysis of the urban heat island bias.