Comparative analysis of the effect of water areas and vegetation on urban heat islands: A case study of Ahvaz metropolis

nastaran eskandari¹ laleh divband hafshejani²

1) M.Sc. student in Environmental Engineering - Water Resources emai:
2) Assistant Professor, Shahid Chamran University

IOI Code : AACC-AAGGBA
Publication : Third International Conference on applied researches in civil engineering, architecture and urban planning (icarcau.com/3rd)
Abstract :
    This study, by examining Landsat 8 summer data from 2013 to 2024 in the Ahvaz metropolis, analyzed the comparative role of vegetation and water bodies in reducing land surface temperature (LST). The results of quantitative and spatial analyses using the Google Earth Engine platform show a significant negative relationship between LST and both the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and the Modified Water Index (MNDWI). The central finding of this study is that in the hot and dry climate of the study area, the cooling effect of water bodies is stronger and more stable in terms of space and time than vegetation. This is especially proven by the observation of a significant decrease in temperature along the Karun River. Finally, this study emphasizes the need to formulate urban strategies based on the development of water infrastructure as an effective approach to combat the urban heat island effects and increase resilience to extreme heat.

Keywords : urban heat islands remote sensing land surface temperature water bodies google earth engine