Influence of Land Cover on Spatiotemporal Air Temperature Trends

Air temperatures are rising globally. This is primarily due to the effects of increased greenhouse gas concentrations, but temperature conditions and trends are also strongly affected by land cover. This influence is widely understood in general terms, but it has been difficult to quantify systematically on account of a lack of reliable, high resolution air temperature records. Studies of air temperature variability have typically had to rely on sparse weather station data or on satellite-derived "land surface temperature" estimates, which reflect the radiometric emitting temperature of the surface rather than the more environmentally relevant near-surface ambient air temperature. The new Climate Hazards Center Infrared Temperature with Stations (CHIRTS) climate data record combines satellite observations with ground station measurements to create a high-resolution air temperature data record. This study seeks to investigate the relationship between the trends in satellite and ground station temperature records and local land cover land use characteristics to explain variability in the CHIRTS air temperature record on local to regional geographic scales. The results will provide new insights into changing temperature patterns, with an emphasis on extreme temperatures related to droughts, agricultural decline, and food scarcity.