Analysis of the Surface Urban Heat Island Effect and the Spatiotemporal Heterogeneity of Its Driving Factors

ABSTRACT The surface urban heat island (SUHI) effect presents a significant challenge in urban environments. However, there is spatiotemporal variability in the SUHI effect and its drivers, which is often overlooked. To address this issue, this study employs the geographically and temporally weighted regression (GTWR) model to analyze the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of the SUHI and its driving factors. The findings reveal the following: (1) The SUHIs in the central urban area of Wuhan are located mainly on both sides of the Yangtze and Han Rivers, most notably in the Qingshan Industrial Zone; (2) in the city center, the land surface temperature (LST) is strongly positively correlated with the bare soil index (BSI), normalized difference built‐up index (NDBI), normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), and nighttime light (NTL); (3) clear temporal disparities exist between the LST and the drivers, with the NDBI, NDWI, and NTL factors displaying the most notable variations; and (4) a comprehensive analysis has yielded quantitative relationships between the LST and associated drivers. In summary, it has been proven that there are spatiotemporal differences in the LST and its driving factors. Therefore, the impact of spatiotemporal heterogeneity should be considered when studying the mitigation of the SUHI effect.