Spatio-temporal analysis of land surface temperature in Siddharthanagar (1993–2024)

Abstract

Land Surface Temperature (LST) refers to the radiative temperature of the Earth's surface, as measured by satellite sensors. This study employs Remote Sensing technologies to conduct a detailed spatio-temporal analysis of LST trends in Siddharthanagar from 1993 to 2024. The research focuses on analyzing temporal LST patterns, investigating the spatial distribution, and examining the factors influencing LST, particularly Land Use Land Cover (LULC) and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). Using Landsat-5 and Landsat-8 satellite data processed through Google Earth Engine (GEE), LST values were derived from thermal bands. The results show a significant rise in LST, with an average annual increase of 0.18°C. Areas with dense vegetation, indicated by higher NDVI values, have lower LST, while regions with sparse vegetation such as bare ground and range lands experience higher LST. The study highlights the critical role of vegetation in regulating surface temperatures and the need for sustainable urban planning to mitigate rising temperatures and the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect.