Urbanization is one of the greatest examples of human modification of the natural environment.An environmental consequence of urbanization is the urban heat island effect, which results from the replacement of natural landscapes with impervious surfaces such as concrete and asphalt. The heat retention from impervious surfaces causes a disruption of the surface energy balance, and can exacerbate existing air pollution conditions. In order to fully understand the urban microclimate, it is appropriate to examine the thermal pattern of the urban environment. This study analyzes the urban thermal pattern of Salt Lake City using airborne, 10-meter spatial resolution ATLAS (Advanced Thermal Land Applications Sensor) data. A classification technique using visible, near-IR, mid-IR, and thermal-IR data produces thermal properties of individual land covers. Such land covers include a mix of vegetation types, impervious surfaces, and soils. Their respective thermal properties are examined in relation to the total urban thermal pattern of downtown Salt Lake City. Results from the study may then be used as a tool for urban planners in implementing heat island reduction strategies.
scite is a Brooklyn-based organization that helps researchers better discover and understand research articles through Smart Citations–citations that display the context of the citation and describe whether the article provides supporting or contrasting evidence. scite is used by students and researchers from around the world and is funded in part by the National Science Foundation and the National Institute on Drug Abuse of the National Institutes of Health.