Thermal detection of plumes produced by industrial accidents in urban areas based on the presence of the heat island

Detection of plumes produced by industrial accidents using NOAA/AVHRR thermal imagery may be substantially supported in urban areas by the presence of the heat island phenomenon. In this study, an attempt is made to classify the urban web on the basis of the heat island and its impact on the brightness temperatures. Application of the classification scheme on a night-time thermal infrared NOAA-14 image depicting the urban web of Athens demonstrates the potential of this classification for the detection of a plume caused by a fire in a warehouse. Detection of the plume in this case is favoured by the urban heat island phenomenon due to which the urban surface has higher temperature compared to the adjacent environment and the plume above. As a result, distinction of the pixels corresponding to the plume is more effective.