Heat islands on urban surfaces in the Brazilian Midwest: a case study

Abstract

Permeability represents the ability of water to infiltrate the soil surface. On urban surfaces such as paved streets, buildings on impermeable soils, which are resistant to permeability and infiltration, lead to different impacts on the environment, including the phenomenon of heat islands. This phenomenon is characterized by an increase in temperature in urban centers compared to their surroundings.  Therefore, this study aims to investigate the impact of permeability on the formation of heat islands in an area of a neighborhood located in the city of Goiânia, Goiás, Brazil. To this end, the intensity of the heat island was verified through on-site measurements located in the densest and most vertical neighborhood in Goiânia, the Bueno Sector. Based on these measurements, the permeability and surface temperature around the collection points were mapped using a Landsat-08 image. The results of the measurements showed that heat island formations are usually more intense in the early hours of the morning (at night), reaching an amplitude of up to 10° C (heat island of very strong magnitude). The results show a correlation between the formation of urban heat islands and the typologies of urban land use and occupation, highlighting: urban densification and impermeability for the locations with the highest occurrences of urban heat islands.