Thermal satellite data shows urban heat patterns in detail

London-based SatVu has unveiled new highly detailed thermal images of the city of Fresno, California, captured by its pioneering HotSat-1 satellite. These images offer an unprecedented view of urban heat patterns with resolution down to the level of individual buildings and city blocks.

CEO Anthony Baker says this level of precision has never been seen before from space and will empower city planners worldwide in their efforts to address the growing threats of the urban heat island effect and rising global temperatures.

SatVu’s HotSat-1, launched in 2023, captured a vast catalogue of high-resolution thermal satellite imagery. Now the company is identifying how this imagery can be used to enable decision-makers, city leaders, and urban planners to access actionable insights into heat distribution patterns.

This technology, which operates at higher resolution than other existing solutions, allows a deeper understanding of urban heat data, offering precise information at a hyper-local level, i.e. information specific to the thermal output of a tower block or car park.

On 31st of July, 2023 at 21:35 UHT, the HotSat-1 captured thermal data within the city of Fresno, California, as pictured above.

The image clearly shows variations in surface temperature across neighbourhoods in Fresno. SatVu’s analysts were able to identify a noticeably cooler area which correlates with a park and wooded district known as Fig Gardens. This finding underscores the importance of green spaces in mitigating urban heat and hints at socio-economic disparities within neighbourhoods.

By integrating Earth Observation images with GEO data, SatVu says it demonstrates a powerful synergy that can enhance decision-making processes in urban planning and climate resilience endeavours.

Anthony Baker, CEO of SatVu, says:

“SatVu’s mission has always been to democratise access to cutting-edge technology for addressing critical global challenges. With the launch of HotSat-1, and the thermal infrared imagery collected, we want to highlight our unparalleled capabilities to monitor and mitigate the impacts of urban heat to governments and community leaders – empowering decision-makers worldwide to make informed choices for a more sustainable future. The recent analysis of thermal data from our satellite, particularly in Fresno, underscores the potential of high-resolution thermal data in enhancing urban planning and climate resilience efforts.”