The Effects of Landcover Pattern on Urban Surface Net Radiation Retrieved by Remote Sensing

Abstract:

Taking Xiamen city as the study area, this research retrieved surface net radiation using meteorological data and Landsat 5 TM images of the four seasons in the year 2009. Meanwhile the 65 different landscape metrics of each analysis unit were acquired using landscape analysis method. Then the most effective landscape metrics affecting surface net radiation were determined by correlation analysis, partial correlation analysis, stepwise regression method, etc. At both class and landscape levels, this paper comprehensively analyzed the temporal and spatial variations of the surface net radiation as well as the effects of land cover pattern on it in Xiamen from a multi-seasonal perspective. The results showed that: Xiamen’s surface net radiation is the maximum in summer, followed by spring, autumn. The surface net radiation in winter is the minimum. Net radiation flux is higher for water and forestland and is lower for built-up land and bare land, etc. The spatial composition of land cover pattern shows significant influence on surface net radiation. The proportion of bare land and the proportion of forest land are effective and important factors which affect the changes of surface net radiation all the year round. But the spatial allocation of land cover pattern has no significant influence on surface net radiation. Moreover, the proportion of forest land is more capable for explaining surface net radiation than the proportion of bare land. Its total annual explanatory ability is better than the latter. So the proportion of forest land is the most important and continuously effective factor which affects and explains the cross-seasonal differences of surface net radiation. This study is helpful in exploring the formation and evolution mechanism of urban heat island. It also gave theoretical hints and realistic guidance for urban planning and sustainable development.