Abstract
Since 1986, the rate of expansion of population and urban pavement materials in Port Harcourt metropolis and environs has generated enormous heat capable of causing disaster. This paper examines geo-spatial dynamics of Land Surface Temperature (LST) of Port Harcourt metropolis and environs from 1986 to 2018 using Geographic Information Systems (GIS) approach. To achieve this purpose, satellite data were retrieved and analyzed using the algorithm for extracting LST from Landsat 5, 7 and 8 thermal infrared sensor sources from the Google Earth Engine (GEE). The results indicate that in 1986, LST concentrated on the south-western (Bakana) and north-eastern (Oyigbo) sections of the city with temperature range of 19.27°C and 30.17°C having population of 757,022 persons. In 2003, LST concentrated on the city centre, south-western (Bakana) and north-western (Rumuekeni) segments with temperature range of 16.14°C and 34.19°C having population of 1,143,103 persons respectively. Also, in 2018 LST shifted its concentration to north-eastern and south-eastern segments of the city with a variation of 21.6°C and 35.31°C having population of 3,095,342 persons expected to experience heat related ailments such as heat stroke. The city has compromised the standard human comfort threshold of 27°C. It is recommended that there should be immediate urban greening of tree planting, de-congestion of development activities from the eastern segment of Port Harcourt city to the western segment as well as practical implementation of urban management plan without further delay.
Highlights
Due to increased population, urban pavement materials of Port Harcourt metropolis and environs have increased and modified the natural spatial features of the city
Population rise has become a major challenge in Port Harcourt City and Environs
The use of remote sensing of Google Earth Engine (GEE) origin has become a vital approach in the study of Land Surface Temperature (LST)
Summary
Urban pavement materials of Port Harcourt metropolis and environs have increased and modified the natural spatial features of the city. Port Harcourt has continued to expand its landscape and swallowing undeveloped plots of land and transforming the land use types. During the early1980s Port Harcourt city has drawn much attention to researchers due to increased structural transformation caused by population and economic growth resulting to high thermal activity of the city in the form of Land Surface Temperature (LST) [1]. Land Surface Temperature (LST) is a measure of heat radiated or emitted from urban fabrics due to different anthropogenic activities taking place on the land surface [2]. Conceived land surface temperature as the perceived hotness of a surface from the satellite point.
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