Spatiotemporal Variations and Controls on Anthropogenic Heat Fluxes in 12 Selected Cities in the Eastern China

Spatiotemporal variations of anthropogenic heat flux (AHF) is reported to be associated with global warming. However, confined to the low spatial resolution of energy consumption statistical data, details of AHF was not well descripted. To obtain high spatial resolution data of AHF, Defense Meteorological Satellite Program/Operational Linescan System (DMSP/OLS) nighttime light time-series product and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) satellite monthly normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) product were applied to construct the human settlement index. Based on the spatial regression relationship between human settlement index and energy consumption data. A 1-km resolution dataset of AHF of 12 selected cities in the eastern China was obtained. Ordinary least-squares (OLS) model was applied to detect the mechanism of spatial patterns of AHF. Results showed that industrial emission in selected cities of the eastern China was accountable for 63% of the total emission. AHF emission in megacities, such as Tianjin, Jinan, Qingdao, and Hangzhou, was most significant. AHF increasing speed in most areas in the chosen cities was quite low. High growth or extremely high growth of AHF were located in central downtown areas. In Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, Jinan, Hangzhou, Changzhou, Zhaoqing, and Jiangmen, a single kernel of AHF was observed. Potential influencing factors showed that precipitation, temperature, elevation, normalized different vegetation index, gross domestic product, and urbanization level were positive with AHF. Overall, this investigation implied that urbanization level and economic development level might dominate the increasing of AHF and the spatial heterogeneousness of AHF. Higher urbanization level or economic development level resulted in high increasing speeds of AHF. These findings provide a novel way to reconstruct of AHF and scientific supports for energy management strategy development.

Automated summary

Utilizing nighttime light time series and satellite NDVI data, a dataset of AHF with 1km resolution for 12 cities in eastern China was obtained. Industrial emissions accounted for 63% of total AHF emissions, with megacities showing the highest AHF emissions. Most cities had low AHF growth rates, while central downtown areas exhibited high growth rates.