Revealing Moscow surface urban heat island using thermal infrared images acquired by resource satellites

In this paper we present the analysis of the seasonal variability of the Moscow urban heat island according to instrumental observations at meteorological stations (data of meteorological stations MSU, Balchug, VDNH, and a number of stations in Moscow oblast and its neighborhoods were analyzed) and thermal infrared satellite images (images acquired by TIRS system, satellite Landsat 8 were used). The digital number values of the thermal images are translated into values of land surface temperature. A comparison of the land surface temperature values obtained by thermal satellite images and the values of the atmospheric air temperature and the surface measured according to standard procedures at meteorological stations has been made. The authors revealed the climatic reasons that strengthen Moscow urban heat island: this is due primarily to the positive anomalies of atmospheric pressure, and anomalies of the thermal regime have no effect on the intensity of the phenomenon. Maximum Moscow urban heat island magnitude (slightly more than 3°C for the air temperature and about 15°C for surface temperature), its internal structure and its spatial and temporal variability were estimated - during the analyzed period, the maximum surface urban heat island identified on thermal satellite images was observed in winter, and the maximum urban heat island – in summer. The applicability of the TIRS images for the Moscow urban heat island study was also examined.