ALST-W integrated index for enhanced surface temperature mapping of water bodies and vegetation using Landsat 8/9 satellite bands

Abstract

Abstract Researchers are developing new methods to analyze changes in satellite data across various locations using remote sensing and geographic information systems (GIS). Land Surface Temperature (LST) maps are important indices for understanding changes in global land use and land cover (LU/LC). This study introduces the ALST-W (Adaptive Land Surface Temperature of Water Bodies) index to investigate the impact of water bodies on the LST map of the non-forest-covered Javadi Hills region, India, using Landsat 9/8 images for 2020, 2022, and 2024. The ALST-W results were compared with reference maps from Google Earth Engine (GEE), and the findings showed a good average accuracy of 95.06%. This study introduces the new index of the ALST-W, which displays the temperature data for high and low vegetation, along with the water bodies in a single raster map. The information from this work helps communities and policymakers understand environmental changes and take informed actions to protect vegetation and water bodies from significant future loss.