Temporal and Spatial Characteristics of Thermal Discharge of Xiangshan Harbor (China) Power Plant Derived from Landsat Remote Sensing Data

The thermal discharge from coastal power plants exchanges heat with the surrounding marine environment, potentially affecting the aquatic ecosystem. This study utilizes Landsat-series satellite data from 2008 to 2023 to extract the spatiotemporal distribution characteristics of thermal discharges from the Xiangshan Harbor Guohua Power Plant (GPP) and the Wushashan Power Plant (WPP). Additionally, the study investigates the impact of thermal discharge on local aquatic life by examining the spatiotemporal distribution of chlorophyll-a (Chl-a). The results indicate that (1) the overall area of thermal rise in GPP and WPP shows a decreasing trend. The interannual variation in low thermal rise zones (+1 °C, +2 °C) is substantial, with significant seasonal differences mainly influenced by seasonal sea–air temperature differences, the flow velocity of seawater at the discharge outlet, and water depth. (2) The diffusion of thermal discharge is significantly affected by tides. The area of thermal rise is larger during ebb tide compared to flood tide, and during neap tide compared to mid-tide and spring tide. During the ebb tide of the neap tide period, the total area of thermal rise in WPP is approximately three times that of GPP. (3) There is a significant positive correlation between thermal discharge and concentrations of Chl-a. Thermal discharge has complex impacts on aquatic life, primarily positive. The findings of this study provide important references for analyzing the ecological impacts of thermal discharge from coastal power plants.