REMOTE SENSING OF SURFACE WATER TEMPERATURE IN SOUTH AMERICAN LAKES

Dieu Anh Dinh, DAH (2025) REMOTE SENSING OF SURFACE WATER TEMPERATURE IN SOUTH AMERICAN LAKES. Doctoral thesis, Dundalk Institute of Technology.

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Abstract

Water temperature is an essential component that drives the physical and biogeochemical processes in lakes and also serves as an indicator of climate change impacts on lake ecosystems. Therefore, understanding lake surface water temperature (LSWT) variability is vital to assess the response of lakes to the effects of climate change. This study investigates LSWT and lake heatwave variability using satellite Earth Observation (EO) and model-derived data during historical period (1981-2020) and under various future scenarios (2021-2099). This dissertation focuses on a local case study of Lake Titicaca (Peru-Bolivia) and expands to a regional scale of South American lakes. Firstly, the comparison of gap-filling methods for satellite EO data was assessed using Lake Titicaca because of its ecological and economic importance in the region. Several gap�filling methods, including machine learning algorithms, were evaluated to determine the most accurate reconstruction method. Data Interpolating Convolutional Auto-Encoder (DINCAE) was identified as the most accurate and suitable gap-filling method. DINCAE was then used to assess LSWT variability at different timescales during the period of 2000-2020. Secondly, the result derived from the DINCAE algorithm was validated against a daily Global LAke Surface water Temperature (GLAST) dataset. The historical and future variability of Lake Titicaca’s LSWT and lake heatwave using the GLAST dataset were analysed. Additionally, the meteorological drivers of LSWT changes, including surface air temperature, longwave downward radiation, shortwave downward radiation, specific humidity and wind speed, were assessed for their influence on LSWT changes. The results showed that there has been a warming trend over the past 40 years in Lake Titicaca, driven mainly by solar radiation and surface air temperature. LSWT and lake heatwave are projected to increase by 2100. Thirdly, the study was upscaled to 2,046 lakes in South America, where limited in situ measurements have constrained LSWT research. The interannual and diurnal LSWT trends and heatwave variability in South America over the past 40 years and by the end of the 21st century were investigated. Most South American lakes experienced warming trends in daily and diurnal LSWT during the historical period (1981-2020). The main factors that influenced LSWT and diurnal LSWT variability were air temperature and solar radiation, respectively. LSWT and lake heatwave intensity and frequency are forecasted to increase in the future. Furthermore, a vii typology of lake thermal responses based on diurnal and seasonal temperature range classification was developed. In conclusion, this research highlights the rapid warming of LSWT and the increasing frequency and intensity of lake heatwaves across South American lakes. These findings suggest the need to enhance the lake monitoring systems and increase regional collaboration, as well as immediate action to mitigate the effects of climate change and to protect lake ecosystems in South America

Item Type:	Thesis (Doctoral)
Subjects:	Science > Biology
Research Centres:	UNSPECIFIED
Depositing User:	Siobhan Jordan
Date Deposited:	16 Dec 2025 15:15
Last Modified:	16 Dec 2025 15:15
License:	Creative Commons: Attribution-Noncommercial-Share Alike 4.0
URI:	https://eprints.dkit.ie/id/eprint/972

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