Spatial and temporal analysis of the LST-NDVI relationship for the study of land cover changes and their contribution to urban planning in Monte Hermoso, Argentina

The aim of this work was to study the spatial distribution of Land Surface Temperature (LST) and its relationship with diverse urban land covers and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI). The study area was Monte Hermoso city, which is located in the southwest of Buenos Aires province, Argentina. To obtain the LST and NDVI parameters, satellite images from LANDSAT 5 TM and LANDSAT 7 ETM+ sensors were seasonally processed for the period 2008-2012. Visual interpretation techniques and empirical intervention were applied to design an urban land cover map on which LST and NDVI were analyzed by tracing four transects oriented in latitudinal and longitudinal directions. Each urban cover presented a particular behavior of these parameters. Furthermore, significant results for the relationship between LST and NDVI were observed (with alpha 0.1 and 0.05) with R-2, Pearson, and Spearman indices values higher than 0.7. Finally, LST variation in diverse land covers was observed as a consequence of urban growth and the alteration of the vegetation coverage. Therefore, it was concluded that the spatial and temporal variation of LST values may indicate modifications in urban land covers. The information obtained in this study would be a useful tool to guide future urban management studies and policies.