Urban morphology and landscape structure effect on land surface temperature: Evidence from Shiraz, a semi-arid city

Urbanization process contributes to more urban climate changes specifically the land surface temperature (LST). Higher LST of urban areas compared to the surroundings is regarded as the side effect of urban morphology and landscape structure features. In this study, spectral and landscape indices and morphological variables (parcel density, housing density, road density, floor area ratio, mass-space proportion, land use pattern, and distance to CBD) are applied to investigate the correlation of urban morphology with LST. Landscape and morphological variables are provided from Landsat 5, statistical center of Iran and Shiraz's master plan and also gathered at the census district level. The results found that variables had relatively strong correlations with LST. While SHDI, DIVISION, FRAC, LSI, and road density had positive correlation coefficient, NDBI, housing and parcel density, FAR and mass-space proportion were negatively correlated. Moreover, examining land use pattern and its relation to LST revealed that bare lands, industrial and green spaces had a remarkable negative effect on LST. Also residential areas with moderate and high building density alleviated the surface temperature. Alongside that, dense gardens, lower road density, and more developed districts declined LST in Shiraz, a semi-arid urban environment in Iran.