Research on spatial-temporal change of urban thermal environment based on RS: A case study of the Chongqing urban, China

Appling remote sensing technology to monitor urban thermal environment change, can reveal the spatail-temporal change process and discover the important regions of urban thermodynamic field distribution. In this paper, three periods LANDSAT remote sensing image were applied to analyzing the changes of urban thermal environment in Chongqing China. The results indicated the processes and trends of urban thermal environment change in Chongqing city. The spatial-temporal changes of Chongqing urban environment were obvious from 1993 to 2004. The area of higher surface temperature regions increased from 1993 to 2001, and decreased from 2001 to 2004. The spatial distribution of the six temperature regions changed too, where, highest temperature regions spatial distribution in 2004 was most dispersed, in which the total of highest temperature center was the largest, but the area of single thermal center was smallest. And the total thermal center in 1993 was the least, but the area of single thermal center was largest. The locations of highest temperature center were moving mostly. The city of Chongqing was developed continuously and rapidly from 1993 to 2004, and the area became larger. The land surface changed accompanied by the city expands. Reasonable land utilities can reduce the effects of urban thermal environment, which can be caused by urban expanding. This research provides references and basis for urban sustainable development and utilization.