Tracing the Heat: LULC Changes and Urban Heat Island Dynamics in Abu Dhabi's Expanding Landscape
Urban Heat Island (UHI) effects in arid environments are influenced by urban expansion, land-use changes, and water body dynamics. This study provides an updated analysis of UHI trends in Abu Dhabi using Land Surface Temperature (LST) data retrieved from moderate-resolution Landsat imagery spanning...
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Copernicus Publications
2025-07-01
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| Series: | The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences |
| Online Access: | https://isprs-archives.copernicus.org/articles/XLVIII-G-2025/339/2025/isprs-archives-XLVIII-G-2025-339-2025.pdf |
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| author | B. Dahy Y. Yin P. Marpu C. B. Nixon R. Sousa |
| author_facet | B. Dahy Y. Yin P. Marpu C. B. Nixon R. Sousa |
| author_sort | B. Dahy |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Urban Heat Island (UHI) effects in arid environments are influenced by urban expansion, land-use changes, and water body dynamics. This study provides an updated analysis of UHI trends in Abu Dhabi using Land Surface Temperature (LST) data retrieved from moderate-resolution Landsat imagery spanning from April 2013 to December 2024. Monthly and seasonal LST trends are assessed across four land-use categories: consistent urban, land to urban (developed), inundation, and reclamation. Results reveal that while urban areas exhibit a cooling trend in peak summer (−2.46°C/year), they show a significant warming trend in winter (+2.64°C/year), reinforcing UHI effects. Inundation zones demonstrate the oasis effect, mitigating peak summer heat (−2.37°C/year). At the same time, reclamation areas show sustained warming in both seasons (+2.93°C/year in summer, +4.20°C/year in winter), indicating the loss of natural heat-buffering mechanisms. A key novelty of this study is the integration of land cover and land-use change analysis with multi-seasonal LST trends, revealing the aggressive construction-driven transformation of the urban landscape. Unlike previous studies (e.g., Lazzarini et al., 2015), which primarily documented UHI presence, our research highlights how changes in land-use composition, particularly the loss of water bodies and green spaces due to reclamation, exacerbate warming trends despite urban cooling interventions. The findings challenge earlier assumptions of a uniform UHI increase, showing that land-use planning plays a decisive role in seasonal heat retention and dissipation. However, ongoing land reclamation appears to counteract these gains, necessitating further research on climate adaptation strategies. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-2c5e122a4aa64258a1d9eec10f6ae024 |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 1682-1750 2194-9034 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-07-01 |
| publisher | Copernicus Publications |
| record_format | Article |
| series | The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences |
| spelling | doaj-art-2c5e122a4aa64258a1d9eec10f6ae0242025-08-20T03:58:41ZengCopernicus PublicationsThe International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences1682-17502194-90342025-07-01XLVIII-G-202533934410.5194/isprs-archives-XLVIII-G-2025-339-2025Tracing the Heat: LULC Changes and Urban Heat Island Dynamics in Abu Dhabi's Expanding LandscapeB. Dahy0Y. Yin1P. Marpu2C. B. Nixon3R. Sousa4Civil and Urban Engineering, New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, UAEDepartment of Environmental Studies, New York University, 285 Mercer Street, NY 10012, USABayanat, Al Maryah Island, PO Box 111143 Abu Dhabi, UAECivil Engineering, University of Wollong in Dubai, P.O. Box 2018, Dubai, UAECivil and Urban Engineering, SHORES Center, New York University Abu Dhabi, PO Box 129188, Abu Dhabi, UAEUrban Heat Island (UHI) effects in arid environments are influenced by urban expansion, land-use changes, and water body dynamics. This study provides an updated analysis of UHI trends in Abu Dhabi using Land Surface Temperature (LST) data retrieved from moderate-resolution Landsat imagery spanning from April 2013 to December 2024. Monthly and seasonal LST trends are assessed across four land-use categories: consistent urban, land to urban (developed), inundation, and reclamation. Results reveal that while urban areas exhibit a cooling trend in peak summer (−2.46°C/year), they show a significant warming trend in winter (+2.64°C/year), reinforcing UHI effects. Inundation zones demonstrate the oasis effect, mitigating peak summer heat (−2.37°C/year). At the same time, reclamation areas show sustained warming in both seasons (+2.93°C/year in summer, +4.20°C/year in winter), indicating the loss of natural heat-buffering mechanisms. A key novelty of this study is the integration of land cover and land-use change analysis with multi-seasonal LST trends, revealing the aggressive construction-driven transformation of the urban landscape. Unlike previous studies (e.g., Lazzarini et al., 2015), which primarily documented UHI presence, our research highlights how changes in land-use composition, particularly the loss of water bodies and green spaces due to reclamation, exacerbate warming trends despite urban cooling interventions. The findings challenge earlier assumptions of a uniform UHI increase, showing that land-use planning plays a decisive role in seasonal heat retention and dissipation. However, ongoing land reclamation appears to counteract these gains, necessitating further research on climate adaptation strategies.https://isprs-archives.copernicus.org/articles/XLVIII-G-2025/339/2025/isprs-archives-XLVIII-G-2025-339-2025.pdf |
| spellingShingle | B. Dahy Y. Yin P. Marpu C. B. Nixon R. Sousa Tracing the Heat: LULC Changes and Urban Heat Island Dynamics in Abu Dhabi's Expanding Landscape The International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences |
| title | Tracing the Heat: LULC Changes and Urban Heat Island Dynamics in Abu Dhabi's Expanding Landscape |
| title_full | Tracing the Heat: LULC Changes and Urban Heat Island Dynamics in Abu Dhabi's Expanding Landscape |
| title_fullStr | Tracing the Heat: LULC Changes and Urban Heat Island Dynamics in Abu Dhabi's Expanding Landscape |
| title_full_unstemmed | Tracing the Heat: LULC Changes and Urban Heat Island Dynamics in Abu Dhabi's Expanding Landscape |
| title_short | Tracing the Heat: LULC Changes and Urban Heat Island Dynamics in Abu Dhabi's Expanding Landscape |
| title_sort | tracing the heat lulc changes and urban heat island dynamics in abu dhabi s expanding landscape |
| url | https://isprs-archives.copernicus.org/articles/XLVIII-G-2025/339/2025/isprs-archives-XLVIII-G-2025-339-2025.pdf |
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