Satellite-Based Urban Heat Island Study: A Prisma-Based Systematic Literature Review

Abstract

Over the years, urban heat island (UHI) has emerged as a significant contributor to global warming, thereby necessitating considerable attention. Currently, satellite technology is a basic tool for the future – particularly, for its effective and efficient urban analysis. Thus, this study aims to assess the progress of existing satellite-based UHI studies by reviewing scientific publications that were released between 1972 and early 2024. Moreover, we observed that 1991 was a pivotal year, marking the integration of satellite technologies into the development of UHI monitoring and identification systems based on the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines, this review methodology examines the UHI phenomenon by focusing on its characteristics based on sensors, algorithms, and accuracy. The results of the systematic review revealed that Landsat and MODIS were the most-deployed sensors for UHI identification and monitoring, while the land surface temperature (LST) indicator and normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) were the most-deployed algorithms. Regarding accuracy, the integration of satellite sensors and algorithms into UHI studies provides a promising range of accuracies. The review found that the future of satellite-based UHI monitoring is promising, with technological advancements driving the development of effective techniques such as data fusion, gap filling, machine learning (ML), and deep learning. Additionally, Google Earth Engine (GEE) is a cloud-based platform for performing large-scale geospatial analyses, which facilitates the assessments of local, regional, and global-scale UHIs. Finally, the other review findings for future directions indicated that future satellite-based UHI studies will prioritize six crucial points: enhancing data resolution, integrating satellite data with ground-based sensors, artificial intelligence, and ML, climate change modeling, and a global study of UHIs and their impacts.