Thermophysical Characterization of the Southwestern U.S. From 5 Years of MODIS Land Surface Temperature Observations

Five years (2005-2009) of daytime and nighttime 1-km 8-day Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) thermal infrared (TIR) observations have been compiled for the southwestern United States to develop a multitemporal dataset used to map the areal extent of surface thermophysical units, identify anomalous surfaces and weather events, and establish temporal and spatial criteria to map and characterize surfaces in arid regions. Results suggest that weather patterns across the Mojave, Sonoran, and Great Basin desert regions produce spring and fall observations that are consistently cloud-free. Sparsely vegetated and bare soil surfaces display temperature patterns that are highly consistent during much of the year and from year to year. The conditions necessary for reliable quantitative temperatures for thermophysical mapping are both spatially and temporally controlled, and commonly occur for observations in the arid Southwest.