The estimation of surface temperature over an agricultural area in the state of Haryana and Panjab, India, and its relationship with the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), using NOAA-AVHRR data

In this study, we attempted to determine surface temperature with a split window algorithm accounting for differential absorption effects of the Earth's atmosphere. We studied the dynamic response of surface temperature, over an extensive wheat-growing tract of India during different phenological stages of the crop, in relation to the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). Good agreement was obtained between the exponentially fitted surface temperatures recorded at the meteorological observatories, and the satellite-retrieved temperatures. We also observed a strong negative dynamic correlation between the NDVI and the retrieved surface temperature. We analysed the results on the basis of the phenology of the wheat crop, the land area under agriculture, and vegetation. Our study has indicated the utility of NDVI as a modulating parameter for the estimation of surface temperature.