Exploring diurnal cycles of surface urban heat island intensity in Boston with land surface temperature data derived from GOES-R geostationary satellites

The surface urban heat island (SUHI) is one of the most significant human-induced alterations to Earth's climate and can aggravate health risks for city dwellers during waves. Although SUHI effect has received growing attention, its diurnal cycles (i.e., variations over full 24 h within diel cycle) are poorly understood because polar-orbiting satellites (e.g., Landsat Series, Sentinel, Terra, Aqua) only provide or two observations each repeat cycle 16 days) with constant overpass time same area. Geostationary high-frequency land temperature (LST) throughout day night, thereby offer unprecedented opportunities exploring SUHI. Here we examined how intensity varied course in Boston Metropolitan Area using LST from NOAA's latest generation Operational Environmental Satellites (GOES-R). GOES-R was strongly correlated MODIS (R 2 = 0.98, p < 0.0001) across core, suburban, rural areas. We calculated at an hourly step both core suburban areas data. maximum occurred near noon, +3.0 °C (12:00), +5.4 +4.9 (11:00), +3.7 (12:00) winter, spring, summer, autumn, respectively. area about 3.0 lower spring summer 2.0 autumn winter than that urban-core minimum nighttime, ranged ?1.0 +1.0 °C. difference nighttime between insignificant all seasons except summer. showed similar seasons. Throughout year, (+2.7–+5.8 °C) 11:00–14:00 (local time), while (?0.6–+0.9 commonly observed 00:00–07:00 17:00–23:00. also found different relationships potential drivers a cycle, characterized by strongest correlation impervious population size middle day, tree canopy cover night. Our research highlights great new-generation geostationary revealing detailed findings have implications informing planning public risk management. • used data Surface cycle. Maximum noon ~2–3 higher Relations