Diagnosis and analysis of the daily evolution of urban heat islands in mid-sized cities, in tropical and temperate climates

Abstract

This research aims to develop a methodology to diagnose and analyze the daily evolution of the magnitude and intensity of urban heat islands in mid-sized cities in tropical and temperate climates, taking into account the characteristics of the active surface and atmospheric systems. Hence, this, automatic temperature and humidity recorders, and thermal images of Landsat 8 will be used in two mid-sized cities, with different climatic characteristics: Presidente Prudente (Brazil) and Rennes (France). Initially images of Landsat thermal channel 8 freely available on the website http://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/ will be used, and superficial temperature maps will be generated, to diagnose the superficial heat islands. Based on these maps and field work, a database with geo-environmental urban characteristics of the areas with the highest and lowest temperatures, diagnosed in the thermal letters, which will be the basis for the installation of temperature and air humidity sensors will be elaborated. . This procedure will be carried out in Presidente Prudente, because in Rennes there are 20 weather stations already installed, and a characterization of the areas will be undertaken. The temperature and humidity elements will be registered for six months in Presidente Prudente and Rennes and statistical analyzes will be performed, to verify the evolution and maintenance of atmospheric heat islands in tropical and temperate environments, according to the active weather systems.It is intended, therefore, from satellite images that give us the temperature of the target at the time of its capture, for the installation of temperature and air humidity sensors, to monitor the pattern that is established in terms of increased or decreased air temperature during the day, considering the characteristics of the spots.Thus, the combination of these two procedures (measurement at fixed sites and remote sensing in the thermal infrared) will assist us in getting more detailed knowledge of urban environments, as they will enable the identification of places in cities that show up as being warmer, as well as the capacity of these materials in heating the air, through long-wave superficial radiation, and keeping or not these environments with elevated temperatures during the 24 hours of the day, since the satellite images are captured only at 10h24 a.m. (local time) and there is no information on the temperature of targets at other times.The development of this research will allow us to deepen theoretical and methodological knowledge, to consolidate proposals for the improvement of urban environmental quality and to guide researches in undergraduate and graduate levels, on this topic. (AU)