High-Resolution Surface Temperature Patterns Related to Urban Morphology in a Tropical City: A Satellite-Based Study

High-resolution thermal data derived from Landsat's thematic mapper are evaluated for their correspondence to building geometry and landscape features in Singapore's high-rise housing estates. The image data are sufficiently detailed to reveal that differences in solar azimuth on images taken at different times of year create different thermal patterns due to building geometry and surface materials. Field measurements of surface and adjacent air temperatures in urban canyons at different orientations and at different elevations above ground demonstrate that for Singapore conditions satellite-derived surface temperature patterns are a good indicator of the daytime urban heat island.