Space-temporal evaluation of changes in temperature and soil use and cover in the metropolitan region of baixada santista

Laurizio Emanuel Ribeiro Alves,José Francisco De Oliveira-Junior,Heliofábio Barros Gomes,Paulo Eduardo Teodoro,Washington Luiz Félix Correia Filho,Fabio De Oliveira Sanches

doi:10.14393/bj-v35n5a2019-42272

Laurizio Emanuel Ribeiro Alves, José Francisco De Oliveira-Junior + Show 4 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.14393/bj-v35n5a2019-42272

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Abstract

The Metropolitan Region of Baixada Santista (MRBS) harbors one of the main port areas of Brazil: the Port of Santos. Due to the accelerated urban development in this region, the monitoring of biophysical parameters is fundamental. Therefore, this paper aims to i) estimate the soil surface temperature (Ts) and identify the Urban Heat Islands (UHI) formation; and ii) compare the Ts and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) for MRBS from 1986 to 2016 using Landsat 5 and 8 images. Remote sensing tools are essential to meet the objectives of this work for providing both the spatial and temporal evaluation of a region. The spatial analysis was based on the NDVI to evaluate the vegetation density and size from five previously established classes (i.e., water bodies, urban grid, exposed soil and road corridors, shrub, and dense vegetation). The NDVI mapping showed a significant reduction in the cover area referred to the dense vegetation class (91.7%), while the urban grid category increased by 29.4%, resulting from the urban expansion and green cover reduction over the region during this period. Surface temperature thematic maps showed high-temperature values related to increased urbanization and decreased rainfall. Moreover, an 8°C rise in surface temperature over the last 30 years was registered due to the regional development, which has replaced natural soils by anthropic materials and reduced dense vegetation. This phenomenon has resulted in the formation and intensification of UHI, especially after the 2000s.

Highlights

The coast of the southeastern region of Brazil is home to the major port area of the country, the Port of Santos
A significant variation was detected over the study period in a southwestern islet (SW) of the thematic maps, showing higher cover in Figure 3D (Figure 2A), which is associated with the tide variation
The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) mapping showed a significant reduction in the cover area corresponding to the dense vegetation class (91.7%)

Summary

Introduction

The coast of the southeastern region of Brazil is home to the major port area of the country, the Port of Santos. This region leveraged the development of the coastal zone and gave rise to the Metropolitan Region of Baixada Santista (MRBS). Some technologies can assist the identification of patterns of changes in the regional climate, such as Remote Sensing (RS) (AGHAKOUCHAK et al, 2015; WILLIS, 2015; WU et al, 2015). Remote sensors coupled to the orbital platforms can capture some changes in the terrestrial features, enabling the monitoring of specific areas, such as forest fires, desertification, urban, and dry expansion (QUEIROZ; GOMES, 2001; CAÚLA et al, 2016; CLEMENTE et al, 2017)

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