Work

Integrating Multi-Source Remote Sensing and Spatial Metrics to Quantify Urban Park Design Effects on Surface Cool Islands in Mexicali, Mexico

Year: 2025

Type: article

Abstract: The Surface Cool Island (SCI) refers to localized reductions in land surface temperature (LST) produced by features that enhance evapotranspiration, shading, and energy flux regulation. In arid urban areas, vegetated parks play a key role in mitigating heat through these mechanisms. This study evaluates how park vegetation structure and spatial configuration influence SCI intensity (ΔTmax) and extent (Lmax) using multi-seasonal, day–night satellite observations in Mexicali, Mexico. A total of 435 parks were analyzed using Landsat 8/9 TIRS (30 m) for LST and Sentinel-2 MSI (10 m) for vegetation mapping via NDVI thresholding and supervised random forest (RF) classification. On average, parks lowered daytime LST by 0.81 °C (max: 6.41 °C), with a mean Lmax of 120 m; nighttime cooling was weaker (avg. ΔTmax: 0.37 °C; Lmax: 48 m). RF-derived metrics explained SCI variability more effectively (R2 up to 0.64 for ΔTmax; 0.48 for Lmax) than NDVI-based metrics (R2 < 0.35), highlighting the value of object-based land cover classification in capturing vegetation structure. This remote sensing framework offers a scalable method for assessing urban cooling performance and supports climate-adaptive green space design in hot-arid cities.

Source: Remote Sensing

DOI: 10.3390/rs17193296

Authors: Alan García-Haro, Blanca Arellano, Josep Roca

Institutions: Universidad Autónoma de Baja California, Universitat Politècnica de Catalunya

Language: English

Topic: Urban Heat Island Mitigation

Subfield: Environmental Engineering

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDGs: Sustainable cities and communities, Climate action, Life on land

Open Access status: gold

Estimated APC paid: $3,258