Author(s)

Elham Jafari, Hadi Soltanifard, Kazem Aliabadi, Hadi Karachi

Faculty of Geography and Environmental Science, Hakim Sabzevari University, Sabzevar, Iran.

Urban heat island is a global issue and a consequence of rapid urbanization that leads to higher land surface temperature in urban areas. The range is 0.6°C - 1.3°C compared to rural and suburban areas. LST (Land surface temperature) is an important parameter in determining the heat island. Understanding the relationship between green space configuration and LST is essential to the effective design of the mechanisms, which reduce the effect of urbanization on UHI (urban heat island). This study examines the correlation between LST and spatial configuration of green space in the urban landscape of Neyshabur city, Iran. Satellite images are obtained from Landsat ETM+ satellite sensor with a spatial resolution of 60 meters in August 2010 and used for the estimation of LST. In order to identify the configuration of green space, five configuration metrics LSI (landscape Shape Index), MPFD (Mean Patch Fractal Dimension), ED (Edge Density), MPS (Mean Patch Size) and MSI (Mean Shape Index) are used. In addition, configuration of the green space and temperature is compared by Pearson’s correlation-coefficient. Negative values represent a suppressive/negative effect on each other; the fact that other indicators of spatial configuration are inversely related to temperature means that they weaken the effect of UHI. Results of the study showed that the spatial configuration of the green space notably affects increased LST and UHI. On the other hand, the configuration indicator with the greatest impact on LST was ED, because with increase in margin density further decreases LST.

Configuration, Land Surface Temperature, Landscape, Neyshabur, Green Space

Jafari, E. , Soltanifard, H. , Aliabadi, K. and Karachi, H. (2017) Assessment of the Effect of Neyshabur Green Spatial Configuration on the Temperature of Land Surface and Heat Islands. Open Journal of Ecology, 7, 554-567. doi: 10.4236/oje.2017.79037.