Climate change variations and hydro-meteorological response associated with Urban Heat Island

Abstract:

Climate change and Urban Heat Island (UHI) are among the most prominent global problems that alter the atmosphere and land surface properties. In recent decades, the changes in urbanization that particularly increase the impervious urban surface and decrease vegetation cover have consequently modified the surface energy balance and hydrological process of the atmosphere system. In this study, Community Land Model (CLM) was used to assess changes in energy flux density and temperature increase from the urban growth across Melbourne VIC, Australia. The modeled energy fluxes were analyzed at eddy-covariance site: Preston (Mb03m) urban site, located at the northern part of Melbourne city. This site was selected to distinguish urban and rural environments for UHI definition (∆T = T_urban – T_rural). UHI intensity and its component namely surface albedo changes (∆α), convection efficiency (∆r_a), evaporation reduction (∆β), heat storage change (∆Q_s) and anthropogenic release (∆Q_ah) were also quantified from CLM simulation based on surface energy balance analysis. Next, these components were further investigated in order to analyze hydro-meteorological alterations caused by urbanization and local climate sensitivity.