Assessing thermal stress on cultural heritage in Limassol: a multi-scale remote sensing approach using Sentinel-3 and Landsat 9 land surface temperature data
Date Issued
September 19, 2025
DOI
10.1117/12.3072364
Abstract
Cultural heritage buildings and archaeological sites in urban environments are increasingly at risk from exposure to
thermal stress driven by climate change. This study examines the impact of thermal stress on heritage structures in
Limassol’s historic district using Land Surface Temperature (LST) images from Sentinel-3 and Landsat-9 satellite
remote sensing data. Sentinel-3’s broader coverage at a 1km spatial resolution allows for a city-wide survey of thermal
anomalies, enabling the identification of extensive urban hotspots. Landsat 9’s 30m resolution provides detailed thermal
distributions that highlight localized thermal gradients around individual heritage sites, archaeological areas and listed
neoclassical buildings, which are more sensitive to small-scale environmental changes. By correlating data from both
satellites, this research constructs thermal risk maps, revealing the interplay between large-scale urban heat trends and
site-specific vulnerabilities. The results demonstrate that areas with high concentrations of cultural heritage assets that
consistently show elevated thermal stress levels face increased risks of material degradation, weathering and accelerated
decay in historic structures. These findings underscore the importance of microclimate interventions to urban planning
and landscaping to mitigate heat buildup. This multi-scale remote sensing approach offers a replicable framework for
other Mediterranean cities facing similar climatic pressures. Integrating broader-scale monitoring with Sentinel-3 with
site-focused assessments from Landsat 9 provides a robust tool for heritage preservation policies, restoration efforts, and
climate-resilient urban development. Ultimately, the study highlights how the use of satellite LST data can serve as a
critical resource for safeguarding historical sites against the impacts of climate change and urban heat island effect
thermal stress driven by climate change. This study examines the impact of thermal stress on heritage structures in
Limassol’s historic district using Land Surface Temperature (LST) images from Sentinel-3 and Landsat-9 satellite
remote sensing data. Sentinel-3’s broader coverage at a 1km spatial resolution allows for a city-wide survey of thermal
anomalies, enabling the identification of extensive urban hotspots. Landsat 9’s 30m resolution provides detailed thermal
distributions that highlight localized thermal gradients around individual heritage sites, archaeological areas and listed
neoclassical buildings, which are more sensitive to small-scale environmental changes. By correlating data from both
satellites, this research constructs thermal risk maps, revealing the interplay between large-scale urban heat trends and
site-specific vulnerabilities. The results demonstrate that areas with high concentrations of cultural heritage assets that
consistently show elevated thermal stress levels face increased risks of material degradation, weathering and accelerated
decay in historic structures. These findings underscore the importance of microclimate interventions to urban planning
and landscaping to mitigate heat buildup. This multi-scale remote sensing approach offers a replicable framework for
other Mediterranean cities facing similar climatic pressures. Integrating broader-scale monitoring with Sentinel-3 with
site-focused assessments from Landsat 9 provides a robust tool for heritage preservation policies, restoration efforts, and
climate-resilient urban development. Ultimately, the study highlights how the use of satellite LST data can serve as a
critical resource for safeguarding historical sites against the impacts of climate change and urban heat island effect
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