Application of remote sensing in determining land surface emissivity using LANDSAT multispectral imagery (case study: Bac Binh district, Binh Thuan province, Vietnam)

Emissivity is a characteristic of a surface which determines its ability to emit or give off heat by radiation. Land surface emissivity can be determined by standard radiation thermometer or using satellite imagery. This article presents the results of a remote sensing application to determine land surface emissivity in Bac Binh district, Binh Thuan province (Vietnam) based on normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) using red (0,63-0,69 μm) and near infrared (0,77-0,90 μm) channels of LANDSAT multispectral image. The study was performed using a method based on the correlation between NDVI and emissivity coefficient. NDVI values are calculated by using LANDSAT multispectral images after radiometric and atmospheric correction of the data. This study used 120 training samples to calculate NDVI for pure soil and pure vegetation cover areas. On the basis of obtained materials, the vegetation cover dynamics for 2002-2014 was analyzed, including the spatial and temporal dynamics of forest. The results obtained in this study can be used in determining land surface temperature, analyzing vegetation cover dynamics and drought monitoring.