Hotter cities, hazier skies: exploring aerosol feedback to urban heat using satellite data

Atmospheric aerosols play a key role in the radiative balance of the Earth system, modulating the amount of solar radiation that reaches the surface and altering longwave heat retention. In urban areas, these processes can influence the development and intensity of the urban heat island (UHI), potentially amplifying or reducing surface temperature anomalies. This work investigates the relationship between aerosols and surface heating using multi-source satellite data. We employ sharpened Landsat land surface temperature (LST) maps and MODIS aerosol optical depth (AOD) products to explore aerosol heat feedbacks at very high spatial resolution. A case study is presented on Poznań, Poland, to show how differences in aerosol loading are associated with distinct UHI signatures. The results highlight the importance of integrating aerosol information into urban climate studies to better understand the complex interactions driving heat extremes.