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Dynamics of the Urban Heat Island in Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria (1984 to 2013)

Dynamics of the Urban Heat Island in Lagos Metropolis, Nigeria (1984 to 2013)


Abstract

Urban Heat Islands (UHI) occur when cities record higher temperatures than surrounding rural areas due to land cover modification and anthropogenic heat. In Lagos metropolis, rapid urbanization has altered land use and land cover, but spatiotemporal UHI dynamics over three decades remain poorly quantified. This study analyzed UHI dynamics in Lagos metropolis from 1984 to 2013 using remote sensing data from Landsat-5 TM, Landsat-7 ETM+, and Landsat-8 OLI/TIRS imagery. Land surface temperature (LST) was retrieved from thermal bands, and urban-rural extents were delineated through supervised classification in GIS. UHI zones were identified using mean LST thresholds for each time period. Urban built-up area expanded while rural open land declined, intensifying UHI. Urban LST increased from 24.76°C in 1984 to 28.59°C in 2013, and UHI extent grew from 125.01 km² to 319.38 km², a 155.4% increase. Findings confirm that land use/land cover change driven by urbanization is the primary driver of UHI intensification in Lagos. Mitigation should prioritize increasing urban vegetation and high-albedo roofing. Street canyon design to enhance wind circulation is critical along the Ifako/Ijaye, Oshodi/Isolo, and Lagos Island corridor.

Keywords:Urban Heat Island; Land Surface Temperature; Land Use Change; Lagos metropolis; GIS; Remote Sensing
Author(s):Uwadiegwu Ibeabuchi*, Feyi O. Oni, Olusegun A. Adeaga
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