Remote Sensing Technology for Evaluation of Variations in Land Surface Temperature, and Case Study Analysis from Southwest Nigeria

Abstract

Recent studies have shown that evaluation of the changes in the Land Surface Temperature (LST) of any area can be a reflector of changes in urbanisation trend, industrial activities, population change and natural factors. Subsequently, many researches have evolved over time, especially with development in remote sensing, digital image processing and geographical information systems. This chapter is aimed at providing information on the relevance and challenges of remote sensing as a geospatial technology that is capable of being used for monitoring LST at different spatial and timescales. The case study analysis indicated that the results from the remote sensing processing of the imageries reflect significant influence of the spatial resolutions of selected imageries. The challenges of huge image data gaps, cloud cover, coarse spatial and temporal resolution, limited night-time data for evaluation of night-time urban heat island—for both technical and security reasons, influenced the reliability of the study results. The study recommended policies for improvement in the applications and utilisation of the geospatial technology in many developing countries, including Nigeria based on its strengths.