Surface Urban Heat Island for the Cities of Asunción and Montevideo During 2001-2016
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.11137/1982-3908_2026_49_68846Keywords:
Vegetation index, Microclimate, Land useAbstract
This contribution estimates the Surface Urban Heat Island (SUHI) intensity during the period 2001-2016 for the Metropolitan Areas of Asunción (AMA) and Montevideo (AMM), located in Paraguay and Uruguay respectively. To quantify the SUHI, the quantile method was used at 0.05° resolution, obtained from the MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) sensor on board the TERRA and AQUA satellites. The daytime SUHI intensity, obtained with the quantile method in the AMA and AMM, shows the maximum value in December, 4.5 ºC and 0.5 ºC respectively. The quantile method proves to be a robust approach for estimating SUHI intensity, as it is independent of terrain geometry and topography. The analysis defined urban, transitional, and rural areas using the International Geosphere Biosphere Programme (IGBP) method, and was conducted at a scale temporal monthly. Results indicate a consistent increase in urban surface temperatures, particularly in rapidly growing cities, intensifying thermal stress. This study contributes by analyzing the increase in surface temperature, providing a reliable framework for SUHI assessment and supporting targeted urban planning strategies.
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