Spatial Analysis of Urban Heat Island (UHI) Effect and its Impacts on Local Demography
Topics: Urban Geography
, Remote Sensing
, Environmental Justice
Keywords: Urban Heat Island Effect, UHI, Greenville City, South Carolina, Urban Sprawl
Session Type: Virtual Poster
Day: Saturday
Session Start / End Time: 4/10/2021 08:00 AM (Pacific Time (US & Canada)) - 4/10/2021 09:15 AM (Pacific Time (US & Canada))
Room: Virtual 51
Authors:
Shannon Meade, Furman University
Suresh Muthukrishnan, Furman University
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Abstract
In recent decades, population growth and industrialization has prompted a global increase in urban population. Currently, 55% of the world population and 83% of the US population are urban. Consequently, the resulting land transformations have caused significant impacts locally, including flash flooding, stream bank erosion, water quality impairments, and urban heat island (UHI) effect, and globally in the form of increased greenhouse gas emissions and climate change. The UHI effect is exacerbated by increase in impervious surfaces and poor land development policies. Developing any mitigation measures requires a better understanding of the spatial patterns of UHI and the socioeconomic makeup of the area that are most impacted by this phenomenon. To tailor mitigation measures, identifying which socioeconomic groups are most vulnerable to urban heat island phenomenon is crucial. The present study focuses on calculating temperature values across the City of Greenville, South Carolina using Landsat Satellite data, and comparing it with demographic makeup of the area based on US Census data. Land Surface Temperature, Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, and Normalized Difference Built-up Index were calculated and analyzed using GIS. Results show that 37% of all census tract neighborhoods within the study area experience surface temperatures ranging from 2℃ to 5℃ above the overall average of the city. Of these neighborhoods, 72% of them have a median household income below $40,000 a year. Included in these neighborhoods are historically disadvantaged populations that are also most vulnerable to the effects of UHI. Local government can use the results to develop mitigation strategies.
