Monitoring land surface temperature changes in Kien Giang province – a multi-temporal remote sensing approach

Abstract

Land Surface Temperature (LST) is a crucial parameter for monitoring climatic conditions, especially amid increasing climate change. This study was to track the LST changes in Kien Giang province from 2005 to 2023. Daily Terra MODIS (MOD11A1) and Aqua MODIS (MYD11A1) satellite imagery were used to extract LST data on the Google Earth Engine platform. The results indicate a significant correlation between land surface temperature and air temperature measured at weather stations, with coefficients of determination of 0.56 for Terra and 0.76 for Aqua. Central areas of districts, towns, and cities exhibit higher temperatures, particularly in densely built-up areas. Among them, Rach Gia city stands out as one of the hottest areas, attributed to rapid urban development and the concentration of construction activities. Conversely, lower temperatures are found in agricultural zones, wetlands, and aquaculture areas. Phu Quoc city, isolated from the mainland and surrounded by a marine environment, has lower temperatures compared to other areas in the province. These obtained results not only provide an overview of LST changes but also offer valuable insights for land-use planners in formulating sustainable development strategies amid the increasing impacts of climate change and urbanization.