Assessment of Urban Heat Island Severity from Land Use Changes Using Multi-temporal Landsat Data in Nakhon Ratchasima Municipality
Keywords:
Land Surface Temperature, Urban Thermal Field Variance Index, Urban Heat IslandAbstract
Nakhon Ratchasima Municipality has experienced continuous urban expansion, resulting in significant changes in urban thermal dynamics. This study aimed to (1) examine land surface temperature (LST) dynamics between 2014 and 2024 and (2) assess the intensity of the Urban Heat Island (UHI) phenomenon using the Urban Thermal Field Variance Index (UTFVI). Landsat 8 OLI/TIR and Landsat 9 OLI-2/TIRS-2 imagery were employed for multitemporal analysis. The results revealed that built-up areas expanded from 85.63% in 2014 to 89.15% in 2024, while agricultural and forest areas declined. Higher LST values were strongly associated with dense urban zones and post-harvest agricultural lands, where bare soil contributed to heat accumulation. UTFVI indicated a bimodal distribution, with None accounting for about 44–48% and Strongest accounting for 26–33% of the study area across all years. However, a slight decrease in Strongest areas was observed over time, while the share of intermediate levels (Weak–Middle–Strong) increased, suggesting the spatial diffusion of heat from urban cores to surrounding areas. This study demonstrates that LULC change directly influences the intensity and spatial distribution of UHI. The findings provide useful implications for urban climate adaptation strategies, particularly in promoting urban greening, managing post-harvest agricultural lands, and integrating sustainable urban planning measures to mitigate heat stress in tropical cities under climate change.
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