Publications

Yao, R; Wang, LC; Huang, X; Chen, JP; Li, JR; Niu, ZG (2018). Less sensitive of urban surface to climate variability than rural in Northern China. SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT, 628-629, 650-660.

Abstract
In this study, the relationships between interannual variations of surface urban heal islands (SUHIs) and climate variability were studied in 31 cities of China for the period 2001-2016. For cold and dry Northern China, it was found that the interannual variations of SUHI intensity (SUHIL land surface temperature (LST) in urban minus rural) in urban cores was significantly (p < 0.05) and negatively correlated with rural LST in 9 (in summer days (SDs)) and 8 (in winter days (WDs)) of the 15 northern cities, respectively. In addition, the daytime LST differences between hot summers and other summers and between cold winters and other winters were generally lower in urban cores (1.141 degrees C for SDs and 2.535 degrees C for WDs) than in rural areas (1.890 degrees C for SDs and 3.377 degrees C for WDs). The standard deviation was further used to reflect the interannual stabilities of LST, enhanced vegetation index (EVI) and white sky albedo (WSA). Interestingly, the standard deviations of LST across 2001-2016 were generally lower in urban cores (0.994 degrees C for SDs and 1.577 degrees C for WDs) than in rural areas (1.431 degrees C for SDs and 2.077 degrees C for WDs). Similar results were observed for EVI and WSA (winter). The results suggested that the urban surface is less sensitive to climate variability than rural areas in Northern China. Comparatively, most findings were less evident in hot and humid Southern China. Despite the whole world would become warmer or colder in future, the insensitivity of urban surface may mitigate its impacts in cold and dry Northern China. However, it does not mean that urbanization is totally good due to its environmental problem. (C) 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

DOI:
10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.02.087

ISSN:
0048-9697