A review of studies involving the effect of land cover and land use on the urban heat island phenomenon, assessed by means of the MUKLIMO model

Abstract

The urban heat island phenomenon occurs in urban areas. It is characterized by increased temperature of both the air and ground surface, compared to the surrounding rural landscape, and is a typical feature of the urban climate. As this phenomenon may affect quality of life in the cities, a variety of scientific studies have been carried out. The article provides a review and evaluation of selected published studies devoted to the issue of the urban heat island, from the point of view of the application of land cover and land use data in the 3-dimensional microscale urban model. Part of the review brings into focus the MUKLIMO model, which computes the atmospheric conditions in urban landscapes and predicts thermal and other climatic characteristics. Evaluated studies confirmed the correlation between the land cover/land use classes and occurrence of the urban heat islands, i.e. a higher percentage of impermeable surfaces within the urban heat island causes more intensive thermal manifestation. The urban heat island effect diminishes when there are less impermeable surfaces and a greater representation of urban greenery in land cover/land use classes.