Comparative assessment of the accuracies of daytime land surface temperature retrieval methods using Landsat 8 and MODIS imageries in Benin, West Africa

Land surface temperature (LST) is an important climate variable used to assess the effects of climate change. This research project aims to compare the results of mono-window (MW) and split-window (SW) algorithms against the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Landsat 8 Collection 2 Level-2 surface temperature (L8-C2L2) products and identify the most suitable techniques. In-situ measurements of the earth’s surface temperature and relative humidity have been recorded in 2020. LSTs have been validated using root mean square error (RMSE) based on the in-situ meteorological data. Validation analysis has indicated that the SW algorithm combined with in-situ micro-scale atmospheric water vapor content values was more accurate for LST. In the overall study area, the RMSE values of 1.09°C, 3.97°C, 4.36°C, and 6.80°C have been calculated for SW, MODIS, L8-C2L2, and MW LSTs, respectively. These results have demonstrated that the SW algorithm outperformed the other LST products. The maximum difference between the in-situ earth surface temperature and the SW algorithm was 0.79°C. These findings are essential for comparing different data-driven approaches and identifying the most efficient techniques. The study’s significance lies in identifying the most appropriate method for LST retrieval, which can aid in climate change studies and inform decision-making processes.