Analyzing land surface temperature distribution in response to land use/land cover change using split window algorithm and spectral radiance model in Sundarban Biosphere Reserve, India

The paper utilized Landsat 5 TM and Landsat 8 OLI for analyzing land use/land cover change and its impact on land surface temperature in Sundarban Biosphere Reserve, India. Split window algorithm and spectral radiance model were used for determining land surface temperature from Landsat 8 OLI and Landsat 5 TM, respectively. The land use land cover change analysis revealed phenomenal increase in the waterlogged areas followed by settlement and paddy and a decrease in open forest followed by deposition and water body. The distribution of average change in land surface temperature shows that water recorded highest increase in temperature followed by deposition, open forest and settlement. Overlay of the transect profiles drawn on land use/land cover change map over land surface temperature map revealed that the land surface temperature has increased in those areas which were transformed from open forest to paddy, open forest to settlement, paddy to settlement and deposition to settlement. The study demonstrated that increase in non-evaporating surfaces and decrease in vegetation have increased the surface temperature and modified the temperature of the study area.