The Study of Impact of Urbanization on Urban Heat Island with Temperature Variation Analysis of MODIS Data Using Remote Sensing and GIS Technology

Abstract

Udupi and its surroundings are experiencing unprecedented urbanization in recent times due to concentrated developmental activities with impetus on industrialization for the economic development of the region. This concentrated growth has resulted in the increase in population and consequent pressure on infrastructure, natural resources and ultimately giving rise to increase in built up area which causes a plethora of serious challenges such as climate change, urban heat Island effects, etc. Prior to urban heat island effect study, we must have knowledge about urbanization growth process along with land use/land cover changes. The study of rate of urbanization growth gives the primary idea about the ineffective infrastructure planning and resource management in advance. The local temperature is one of the major climatic elements to record the changes in the atmospheric environment brought about by industrialization, increasing population and massive urbanization. The current warming trends in temperature around Udupi and its surroundings based on the analysis of satellite thermal imagery could be utilized to infer the development process in this region. The urbanization pattern within the study area is reflected by the trends of increasing temperature which results in the urban heat island effect and also this research focuses to analyze the contribution of the built up area growth due to change in land cover types of Udupi Taluk during the years 2000, 2006 and 2010 to the urban heat Island using GIS technology 2010 and also an attempt to locate the spatial extent of urban heat island areas using the temperature distribution maps using MODIS satellite data of three years 2000 (March 29), 2006 (March 29) and 2012 (March 30) processed using IDRISI Software developed by Clarks University Lab.