Impact of Urbanisation on Surface Temperature using Satellite and Ground Observations

Abstract

The urbanisation process experienced by rapidly growing cities induces effects that city planners did not consider at the beginning of the planning phase. The temperature in Sharjah City has increased over the years due to urbanisation. Maximum summer temperatures have reached approximately 55 °C at noon and 50 °C at night, although the climate in the area was always a desert climate, with high temperatures at noon and cool temperatures at night. Sharjah City has expanded over the desert areas as the population grew. This research paper analyses the effect of urbanisation in the city to delineate the contributing factors to the increasing temperature. Using Landsat image archives and image processing techniques, the land surface temperature (LST) is investigated and correlated with the urbanisation process in Sharjah City along with in-situ measurements. The results showed a decrease in LST along with urbanisation and vegetation, with the substantial reduction effect of vegetation on the LST in the city by 5–10 °C.