The objective of the study was to evaluate the use of a satellite-derived vegetation index and surface temperature estimates for the assessment of the difference in urban and rural air temperature due to the urban heat island effect. The difference in the ND (normalized difference) index between urban and rural regions appears to be an indicator of the difference in surface properties (evaporation and heat storage capacity) between the two environments that are responsible for the urban heat island effect. The use of the approach proposed here may provide a globally consistent method for assessing this phenomenon.
