Predicting Factors which Impact the Urban Heat Island Index in Cities Across the USA

Abstract:

The rapid growth in urbanization has led to the Urban Heat Island (UHI) phenomenon, which increases the average temperature of a city by 2-5°C during daytime. This increase in temperature causes an increase in energy consumption, negative health impacts, and a rise in air pollution and impacts the quality of water in surrounding areas. As more and more people move into cities, construction of buildings and related infrastructure in cities will keep on increasing, thus increasing the impact of UHI over time. In this research, machine learning techniques will be used to understand the impact of various factors on the intensity of the UHI index. Satellite derived UHI data from 2003-2017 for several cities across the United States will be compared against various city characteristics to understand how various environmental and geographical factors impact the intensity and duration of UHI over time. Spatial patterns and characteristics of cities will also be derived as part of this study to understand how growth patterns of cities across the US impact the UHI index.