Spatiotemporal Impact of Urbanization on Urban Heat Island Using Landsat Imagery in Oran, Algeria: 1984–2024

Urbanization promotes urban infrastructure development and increases artificial impervious surfaces, leading to rising temperatures and urban climate alterations, contributing to the appearance and intensification of the Urban Heat Island (UHI). In this study, a 40-year time series of Landsat images...

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Main Authors: Ibka Mohamed Soufiane, Rahal Driss Djaouad, Benharats Farah, Sifodil Djamel
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-03-01
Series:Urban Science
Subjects:
Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2413-8851/9/4/95
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author Ibka Mohamed Soufiane
Rahal Driss Djaouad
Benharats Farah
Sifodil Djamel
author_facet Ibka Mohamed Soufiane
Rahal Driss Djaouad
Benharats Farah
Sifodil Djamel
author_sort Ibka Mohamed Soufiane
collection DOAJ
description Urbanization promotes urban infrastructure development and increases artificial impervious surfaces, leading to rising temperatures and urban climate alterations, contributing to the appearance and intensification of the Urban Heat Island (UHI). In this study, a 40-year time series of Landsat images of the city of Oran was used to generate two biophysical indices. The Normalized Difference Built-up Index (NDBI) distinguished built-up areas from non-built-up areas, while a semi-automatic classification produced Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) maps, for a precise analysis of urban sprawl. The results revealed a significant expansion of urban areas, with an increase of 65.28 km<sup>2</sup> between 1984 and 2024. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was used to estimate Land Surface Temperature (LST) by applying the “Mono Window” algorithm for Thematic Mapper (TM) images and the “Split Window” algorithm for Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM+) and Operational Land Imager–Thermal Infrared Sensor (OLI–TIRS) images. The surface temperature difference between urban and rural areas increased from 0.36 °C in 1984 to 4.5 °C in 2024, highlighting the intensification of the Surface UHI (SUHI) effect. LST maps also helped to identify the areas most vulnerable to UHI, as well as those where this effect is persistent, corresponding to the Permanent UHI (PUHI).
format Article
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spelling doaj-art-89686178abea4ca2bce6f518886708242025-08-20T02:18:05ZengMDPI AGUrban Science2413-88512025-03-01949510.3390/urbansci9040095Spatiotemporal Impact of Urbanization on Urban Heat Island Using Landsat Imagery in Oran, Algeria: 1984–2024Ibka Mohamed Soufiane0Rahal Driss Djaouad1Benharats Farah2Sifodil Djamel3Laboratoire Signaux et Images (LSI), University of Science and Technology of Oran, Mohammed Boudiaf, Bir El Djir 31000, AlgeriaLaboratoire de Mécanique des Structures et de Stabilité des Construction (LM2SC), University of Science and Technology of Oran, Mohammed Boudiaf, Bir El Djir 31000, AlgeriaAgence Spatiale Algérienne (ASAL)/Centre des Techniques Spatiales (CTS), Observation de la Terre, Arzew 31200, AlgeriaLaboratoire de Matériaux Sols et Thermique (LMST), University of Science and Technology of Oran, Mohammed Boudiaf, Bir El Djir 31000, AlgeriaUrbanization promotes urban infrastructure development and increases artificial impervious surfaces, leading to rising temperatures and urban climate alterations, contributing to the appearance and intensification of the Urban Heat Island (UHI). In this study, a 40-year time series of Landsat images of the city of Oran was used to generate two biophysical indices. The Normalized Difference Built-up Index (NDBI) distinguished built-up areas from non-built-up areas, while a semi-automatic classification produced Land Use/Land Cover (LULC) maps, for a precise analysis of urban sprawl. The results revealed a significant expansion of urban areas, with an increase of 65.28 km<sup>2</sup> between 1984 and 2024. The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was used to estimate Land Surface Temperature (LST) by applying the “Mono Window” algorithm for Thematic Mapper (TM) images and the “Split Window” algorithm for Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM+) and Operational Land Imager–Thermal Infrared Sensor (OLI–TIRS) images. The surface temperature difference between urban and rural areas increased from 0.36 °C in 1984 to 4.5 °C in 2024, highlighting the intensification of the Surface UHI (SUHI) effect. LST maps also helped to identify the areas most vulnerable to UHI, as well as those where this effect is persistent, corresponding to the Permanent UHI (PUHI).https://www.mdpi.com/2413-8851/9/4/95Land Use/Land Cover (LULC)urban climateLand Surface Temperature (LST)Urban Heat Island (UHI)remote sensing
spellingShingle Ibka Mohamed Soufiane
Rahal Driss Djaouad
Benharats Farah
Sifodil Djamel
Spatiotemporal Impact of Urbanization on Urban Heat Island Using Landsat Imagery in Oran, Algeria: 1984–2024
Urban Science
Land Use/Land Cover (LULC)
urban climate
Land Surface Temperature (LST)
Urban Heat Island (UHI)
remote sensing
title Spatiotemporal Impact of Urbanization on Urban Heat Island Using Landsat Imagery in Oran, Algeria: 1984–2024
title_full Spatiotemporal Impact of Urbanization on Urban Heat Island Using Landsat Imagery in Oran, Algeria: 1984–2024
title_fullStr Spatiotemporal Impact of Urbanization on Urban Heat Island Using Landsat Imagery in Oran, Algeria: 1984–2024
title_full_unstemmed Spatiotemporal Impact of Urbanization on Urban Heat Island Using Landsat Imagery in Oran, Algeria: 1984–2024
title_short Spatiotemporal Impact of Urbanization on Urban Heat Island Using Landsat Imagery in Oran, Algeria: 1984–2024
title_sort spatiotemporal impact of urbanization on urban heat island using landsat imagery in oran algeria 1984 2024
topic Land Use/Land Cover (LULC)
urban climate
Land Surface Temperature (LST)
Urban Heat Island (UHI)
remote sensing
url https://www.mdpi.com/2413-8851/9/4/95
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