The land surface temperature (LST) changes in North America are very abnormal recently, but few studies have systematically researched these anomalies from several aspects, especially the influencing forces. After reconstructing higher quality MODIS monthly LST data (0.05° * 0.05°) in 2002–2018, we analyzed the LST changes especially anomalous changes and their driving forces in North America. Here we show that North America warmed at the rate of 0.02 °C/y. The LST changes in three regions, including frigid region in the northwestern (0.12 °C/y), the west coast from 20°N–40°N (0.07 °C/y), and the tropics south of 20°N (0.04 °C/y), were extremely abnormal. The El Nino and La Nina were the main drivers for the periodical highest and lowest LST, respectively. The North Atlantic Oscillation was closed related to the opposite change of LST in the northeastern North America and the southeastern United States, and the warming trend of the Florida peninsula in winter was closely related to enhancement of the North Atlantic Oscillation index. The Pacific Decadal Oscillation index showed a positive correlation with the LST in most Alaska. Vegetation and atmospheric water vapor also had a profound influence on the LST changes, but it had obvious difference in latitude.
As a major aspect of the ′China Model′, urbanization in China is being heatedly discussed in the Anglophone literature in the last two decades. By considering China′s urbanization as a ′testing ground′ of ′western′ theories, these studies are important for the understanding of China′s ongoing urban restructuring and exchanging knowledge with ′western′ insights. Based on a survey of existing studies, this paper identifies various endogenous and exogenous concepts and explanations of China′s urbanization. It is suggested that China′s urbanization is mainly driven by a combination of political decentralization and neoliberalization with various forms of social stratification and mobility. However, it is argued that the distinctness of the ′China Model′, which is usually used to support the legitimacy of studies of China′s urbanization, has led to many controversial arguments and diminished the due contributions of Chinese scholars in the knowledge production of China′s urbanization. To consolidate the legitimacy of studies on China′s urbanization and enhance the roles of Chinese scholars, we suggest future studies to pay more attentions to the fundamental theories with looser constraints and ′true questions′ on China′s urbanization.
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