Assessment of urban heat islands and impact of climate change on socioeconomic over Suez Governorate using remote sensing and GIS techniques

Abstract

Climate change and its effect on human life and comfort have taken increase attraction. In this paper effect of UHI is analyzed using quantitative thermal, temporal remote sensing and GIS techniques. Series of Landsat TM/ETM, 8 and ASTER images of Suez Governorate acquired in winter season were used to investigate the variation in land surface temperature (LST) from 1988 to 2014 as well as land-use/cover change. NDVI NDBI and LST have been used for classification of the study area. Vulnerable areas for UHI have been assessed over Suez district. The effect of UHI was quantitatively described using urban thermal field variance index (UTFVI). Results indicate that there are increases in the overall temperature between years 1988 and 2014. Suez and Al-Arbin districts which are the most populated, highly density built-up and rarely vegetation zones in Suez governorate experiences a huge problem of UHI. UHI phenomenon represents total weight of 40.84% and 46.3% of their areas respectively. It is found that the mean temperature of UHI areas of Al-Arbin and Al-Suez districts was 7.5 above mean of District temperature. While the value of UHI of suburban zone e.g. Ataqa and AL-Ganayin was 2.5 degree above district mean. The results indicate that changes in UTFVI distribution can be predominantly related to the expansion of urban area during the study time period. The hot spot of UTFVI were found mainly in the built-up areas especially densely populated district and in heavily industrial district. It is the vulnerable areas to UHI.