Download or read book The impact of urban expansion on land surface temperatures in Sulaymaniyah City written by Pakiza Saied and published by GRIN Verlag. This book was released on 2015-12-18 with total page 88 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Master's Thesis from the year 2013 in the subject Geography / Earth Science - Cartography, Geographic Information Science and Geodesy, Sheffield Hallam University, language: English, abstract: This research examines the changes in land use/land cover in the city of Sulaymaniyah north of Iraq and identifies land surface temperature variations among the land cover types. The primary aim of this study is to use Landsat-5 TM imagery with GIS techniques to study and investigate the impact of urban expansion on land surface temperature (LST) for three year periods. Three Landsat 5 TM images were obtained in July 1984, August 2000 and October 2010. Land use categories were derived through the use of supervised classification techniques and the land surface temperature was obtained by computing the brightness temperature from the satellite sensor. The result showed that between 1984 and 2010, there was a mild decrease in open and barren lands from 69.3% in 1984 to 57.2% in 2010 while the built-up areas increased from 11.5% in 1984 to 15.5% in 2000 and reached 25.5% by 2010.The political and economic changes in the study area are the main factors behind the recent urban expansion. The lowest LST readings were taken from the vegetation lands with values of 28oC in 1984, 29oC in 2000 and 34oC in 2010. The barren lands recorded the highest temperature of 38oC, 38oC and 34oC for the years 1984, 2000 and 2010 respectively. An interesting observation in this study is the fact that the urban areas where found to be cooler than its surroundings zones. This is revealed by the LST analysis conducted, with the recent increase in green spaces in the city playing a major role in cooling the temperature there. In relating NDVI to LST, the study found a strong negative correlation between them having derived correlation values of the values of (-0.70), (-0.69) and (-0.73) for 1984, 2000 and 2010 respectively. Conclusively, remote sensing and GIS proved to be very effective in studying and monitoring the relationship between urban growth and surface temperature. Recommendations were made to encourage the expansion of urban surfaces into the surrounding areas, especially barren lands, in order to cool those areas.

Download or read book The Impact of Urbanization on Regional Scale Climate and Winter Precipitation written by Bradford Delon Johnson and published by . This book was released on 2018 with total page 254 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The rapid expansion of urbanization has drastically changed regional landscapes around the globe. While only a small percentage of the Earth's surface is covered by cities, more than half of the world's population resides within their boundaries. Urban climate studies have documented temperature, precipitation, and aerosol anomalies near cities. Consequently, cities are simultaneously vulnerable to and the cause of shifts in climate regimes. Urban climate research, however, has largely ignored the aggregate effects of urban clusters, or multiple adjacent cities, on weather and climate at a regional scale. Research shows that cities may impact atmospheric circulation outside of city boundaries as well as precipitation type during winter weather events. Understanding how and where these impacts are prone to occur is valuable in helping communities prepare for weather events and the development of mitigation strategies during continued growth. This dissertation investigates how urban clusters impact regional climate, particularly how winter precipitation type is modified by cities. The overarching goal is to determine, not only these effects but, whether the current observational network, numerical modeling tools, and postprocessing techniques are viable in assessment of urban-scale processes during transitional precipitation events. Results show that urban environments increase hydrometeor exposure to above freezing temperatures causing increased melting, mixed precipitation events are more likely to occur within cities than in rural areas, and the existence of nearby, but non-adjacent, cities is a factor in the magnitude of other urban heat islands.

Download or read book How urban morphology affects land surface temperature written by Fengxiang Guo and published by . This book was released on 2024 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:

Download or read book Numerical Study of the Effect of Urbanization on the Climate written by Samy Kamal and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 109 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study uses the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model to simulate and predict the changes in local climate attributed to the urbanization for five desert cities. The simulations are performed in the fashion of climate downscaling, constrained by the surface boundary conditions generated from high resolution land-use maps. For each city, the land-use maps of 1985 and 2010 from Landsat satellite observation, and a projected land-use map for 2030, are used to represent the past, present, and future. An additional set of simulations for Las Vegas, the largest of the five cities, uses the NLCD 1992 and 2006 land-use maps and an idealized historical land-use map with no urban coverage for 1900. The study finds that urbanization in Las Vegas produces a classic urban heat island (UHI) at night but a minor cooling during the day. A further analysis of the surface energy balance shows that the decrease in surface Albedo and increase effective emissivity play an important role in shaping the local climate change over urban areas. The emerging urban structures slow down the diurnal wind circulation over the city due to an increased effective surface roughness. This leads to a secondary modification of temperature due to the interaction between the mechanical and thermodynamic effects of urbanization.The simulations for the five desert cities for 1985 and 2010 further confirm a common pattern of the climatic effect of urbanization with significant nighttime warming and moderate daytime cooling. This effect is confined to the urban area and is not sensitive to the size of the city or the detail of land cover in the surrounding areas. The pattern of nighttime warming and daytime cooling remains robust in the simulations for the future climate of the five cities using the projected 2030 land-use maps. Inter-city differences among the five urban areas are discussed.

Download or read book Numerical Study of the Effect of Urbanization on the Climate of Desert Cities written by Samy Kamal and published by . This book was released on 2015 with total page 109 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This study uses the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model to simulate and predict the changes in local climate attributed to the urbanization for five desert cities. The simulations are performed in the fashion of climate downscaling, constrained by the surface boundary conditions generated from high resolution land-use maps. For each city, the land-use maps of 1985 and 2010 from Landsat satellite observation, and a projected land-use map for 2030, are used to represent the past, present, and future. An additional set of simulations for Las Vegas, the largest of the five cities, uses the NLCD 1992 and 2006 land-use maps and an idealized historical land-use map with no urban coverage for 1900. The study finds that urbanization in Las Vegas produces a classic urban heat island (UHI) at night but a minor cooling during the day. A further analysis of the surface energy balance shows that the decrease in surface Albedo and increase effective emissivity play an important role in shaping the local climate change over urban areas. The emerging urban structures slow down the diurnal wind circulation over the city due to an increased effective surface roughness. This leads to a secondary modification of temperature due to the interaction between the mechanical and thermodynamic effects of urbanization. The simulations for the five desert cities for 1985 and 2010 further confirm a common pattern of the climatic effect of urbanization with significant nighttime warming and moderate daytime cooling. This effect is confined to the urban area and is not sensitive to the size of the city or the detail of land cover in the surrounding areas. The pattern of nighttime warming and daytime cooling remains robust in the simulations for the future climate of the five cities using the projected 2030 land-use maps. Inter-city differences among the five urban areas are discussed.

Download or read book Urban Microclimatic Response to Landscape Changes Via Land atmosphere Interactions written by Jiyun Song and published by . This book was released on 2016 with total page 116 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Rapid urban expansion and the associated landscape modifications have led to significant changes of surface processes in built environments. These changes further interact with the overlying atmospheric boundary layer and strongly modulate urban microclimate. To capture the impacts of urban land surface processes on urban boundary layer dynamics, a coupled urban land-atmospheric modeling framework has been developed. The urban land surface is parameterized by an advanced single-layer urban canopy model (SLUCM) with realistic representations of urban green infrastructures such as lawn, tree, and green roof, etc. The urban atmospheric boundary layer is simulated by a single column model (SCM) with both convective and stable schemes. This coupled SLUCM-SCM framework can simulate the time evolution and vertical profile of different meteorological variables such as virtual potential temperature, specific humidity and carbon dioxide concentration. The coupled framework has been calibrated and validated in the metropolitan Phoenix area, Arizona. To quantify the model sensitivity, an advanced stochastic approach based on Markov-Chain Monte Carlo procedure has been applied. It is found that the development of urban boundary layer is highly sensitive to surface characteristics of built terrains, including urban land use, geometry, roughness of momentum, and vegetation fraction. In particular, different types of urban vegetation (mesic/xeric) affect the boundary layer dynamics through different mechanisms. Furthermore, this framework can be implanted into large-scale models such as weather research and forecasting model to assess the impact of urbanization on regional climate.

Download or read book Modelling the Impact of Urbanisation on the Regional Climate of the Greater London Area written by and published by . This book was released on with total page pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Urban areas have well documented effects on climate, such as the urban heat island effect, reduction of wind speeds, enhanced turbulence and boundary layer heights, and changes in cloud cover and precipitation. This PhD examines the impact of the urban surface on the major agglomeration of London on local and regional climate by means of the numerical mesoscale model METRAS (Schlünzen 1988) coupled for the first time with the sophisticated urban canopy scheme BEP, developed by Martilli et al. (2002). The robustness of the new model is demonstrated through a series of simulations and sensitivity studies for an idealised urban domain. The model is then configured for the London region, and evaluated using data from a range of meteorological monitoring sites. Implementation of the urban canopy scheme results in a marked improvement in model performance. Under ideal meteorological conditions, peak urban heat island intensities of up to 2.5 K are found during night time hours, with the timing and magnitude of the peak showing good agreement with previous experimental studies for London. The new model is then used to investigate how growth of the Greater London urban area affects the urban heat island intensity. The results show that the relative fractions of urban land cover and of vegetation within the urban area have important implications for the near surface temperature, diurnal temperature range, wind speed and urban heat island intensity. The results also suggest that extensive future growth of the London urban area has the potential to increase temperatures, with significant increases for both daytime and night time. The specific forms of urban development, such as densification and spatial expansion, have an impact on these fields. These results have important implications for the design of cities and the management of urban climate.

Download or read book Advances in Remote Sensing and Geo Informatics Applications written by Hesham M. El-Askary and published by Springer. This book was released on 2018-12-29 with total page 329 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This edited volume is based on the best papers accepted for presentation during the 1st Springer Conference of the Arabian Journal of Geosciences (CAJG-1), Tunisia 2018. The book compiles a wide range of topics addressing various issues by experienced researchers mainly from research institutes in the Mediterranean, MENA region, North America and Asia. Remote sensing observations can close gaps in information scarcity by complementing ground-based sparse data. Spatial, spectral, temporal and radiometric characteristics of satellites sensors are most suitable for features identification. The local to global nature and broad spatial scale of remote sensing with the wide range of spectral coverage are essential characteristics, which make satellites an ideal platform for mapping, observation, monitoring, assessing and providing necessary mitigation measures and control for different related Earth's systems processes. Main topics in this book include: Geo-informatics Applications, Land Use / Land Cover Mapping and Change Detection, Emerging Remote Sensing Applications, Rock Formations / Soil Lithology Mapping, Vegetation Mapping Impact and Assessment, Natural Hazards Mapping and Assessment, Ground Water Mapping and Assessment, Coastal Management of Marine Environment and Atmospheric Sensing.

Download or read book The Urban Heat Island written by Iain D. Stewart and published by Elsevier. This book was released on 2021-05-25 with total page 184 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Urban Heat Island (UHI) is an area of growing interest for many people studying the urban environment and local/global climate change. The UHI has been scientifically studied for 200 years and, although it is an apparently simple phenomenon, there is considerable confusion around the different types of UHI and their assessment. The Urban Heat Island—A Guidebook provides simple instructions for measuring and analysing the phenomenon, as well as greater context for defining the UHI and the impacts it can have. Readers will be empowered to work within a set of guidelines that enable direct comparison of UHI effects across diverse settings, while informing a wide range of climate mitigation and adaptation programs to modify human behaviour and the built form. This opens the door to true global assessments of local climate change in cities. Urban planning and design strategies can then be evaluated for their effectiveness at mitigating these changes. Covers both on-surface and near-surface, or canopy, measurements and impacts of Urban Heat Islands (UHI) Provides a set of best practices and guidelines for UHI observation and analysis Includes both conceptual overviews and practical instructions for a wide range of uses

Download or read book New Metropolitan Perspectives written by Carmelina Bevilacqua and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2020-08-31 with total page 2196 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: ​This book presents the outcomes of the symposium “NEW METROPOLITAN PERSPECTIVES,” held at Mediterranea University, Reggio Calabria, Italy on May 26–28, 2020. Addressing the challenge of Knowledge Dynamics and Innovation-driven Policies Towards Urban and Regional Transition, the book presents a multi-disciplinary debate on the new frontiers of strategic and spatial planning, economic programs and decision support tools in connection with urban–rural area networks and metropolitan centers. The respective papers focus on six major tracks: Innovation dynamics, smart cities and ICT; Urban regeneration, community-led practices and PPP; Local development, inland and urban areas in territorial cohesion strategies; Mobility, accessibility and infrastructures; Heritage, landscape and identity;and Risk management,environment and energy. The book also includes a Special Section on Rhegion United Nations 2020-2030. Given its scope, the book will benefit all researchers, practitioners and policymakers interested in issues concerning metropolitan and marginal areas.

Download or read book Geomorphology and Global Environmental Change written by Olav Slaymaker and published by Cambridge University Press. This book was released on 2009-07-02 with total page 469 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A statement from the world's leading geomorphologists on the state of, and potential changes to, the environment.

Download or read book The Mobility of Displaced Syrians written by World Bank and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2020-01-27 with total page 278 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The war in Syria, now in its eighth year, continues to take its toll on the Syrian people. More than half of the population of Syria remains displaced; 5.6 million persons are registered as refugees outside of the country and another 6.2 million are displaced within Syria's borders. The internally displaced persons include 2 million school-age children; of these, less than half attend school. Another 739,000 Syrian children are out of school in the five neighborhood countries that host Syria's refugees. The loss of human capital is staggering, and it will create permanent hardships for generations of Syrians going forward. Despite the tragic prospects for renewed fighting in certain parts of the country, an overall reduction in armed conflict is possible going forward. However, international experience shows that the absence of fighting is rarely a singular trigger for the return of displaced people. Numerous other factors—including improved security and socioeconomic conditions in origin states, access to property and assets, the availability of key services, and restitution in home areas—play important roles in shaping the scale and composition of the returns. Overall, refugees have their own calculus of return that considers all of these factors and assesses available options. The Mobility of Displaced Syrians: An Economic and Social Analysis sheds light on the 'mobility calculus' of Syrian refugees. While dismissing any policies that imply wrongful practices involving forced repatriation, the study analyzes factors that may be considered by refugees in their own decisions to relocate. It provides a conceptual framework, supported by data and analysis, to facilitate an impartial conversation about refugees and their mobility choices. It also explores the diversified policy toolkit that the international community has available—and the most effective ways in which the toolkit can be adapted—to maximize the well-being of refugees, host countries, and the people in Syria.

Download or read book The Iraq Study Group Report written by Iraq Study Group (U.S.) and published by Vintage. This book was released on 2006-12-06 with total page 164 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Presents the findings of the bipartisan Iraq Study Group, which was formed in 2006 to examine the situation in Iraq and offer suggestions for the American military's future involvement in the region.

Download or read book Urbanization and Growth written by Michael Spence and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2008-11-26 with total page 290 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Why is productivity higher in cities? Does urbanization cause growth or does growth cause urbanization? Do countries achieve rapid growth or high incomes without urbanization? How can policy makers reap the benefits of urbanization without paying too high a cost? Does supporting urbanization imply neglecting rural areas? Why do so few governments welcome urbanization? What should governments do to improve housing conditions in cities as they urbanize? Are innovations in housing finance a blessing or a curse for developing countries? How will governments finance the trillions of dollars of infrastructure spending needed for cities in developing countries? First in a series of thematic volumes, this book was prepared for the Commission on Growth and Development to evaluate the state of knowledge of the relationship between urbanization and economic growth. It does not pretend to provide all the answers, but it does identify insights and policy levers to help countries make urbanization work as part of a national growth strategy. It examines a variety of topics: the relevance and policy implications of recent advances in urban economics for developing countries, the role of economic geography in global economic trends and trade patterns, the impacts of urbanization on spatial inequality within countries, and alternative approaches to financing the substantial infrastructure investments required in developing-country cities. Written by prominent academics in their fields, Urbanization and Growth seeks to create a better understanding of the role of urbanization in growth and to inform policy makers tackling the formidable challenges it poses.

Download or read book Boots on the ground Troop Density in Contingency Operations written by John J. McGrath and published by Government Printing Office. This book was released on 2006 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This paper clearly shows the immediate relevancy of historical study to current events. One of the most common criticisms of the U.S. plan to invade Iraq in 2003 is that too few troops were used. The argument often fails to satisfy anyone for there is no standard against which to judge. A figure of 20 troops per 1000 of the local population is often mentioned as the standard, but as McGrath shows, that figure was arrived at with some questionable assumptions. By analyzing seven military operations from the last 100 years, he arrives at an average number of military forces per 1000 of the population that have been employed in what would generally be considered successful military campaigns. He also points out a variety of important factors affecting those numbers-from geography to local forces employed to supplement soldiers on the battlefield, to the use of contractors-among others.

Download or read book Counterinsurgency in Iraq 2003 2006 written by Bruce R. Pirnie and published by Rand Corporation. This book was released on 2008-01-25 with total page 135 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Examines the deleterious effects of the U.S. failure to focus on protecting the Iraqi population for most of the military campaign in Iraq and analyzes the failure of a technologically driven counterinsurgency (COIN) approach. It outlines strategic considerations relative to COIN; presents an overview of the conflict in Iraq; describes implications for future operations; and offers recommendations to improve the U.S. capability to conduct COIN.

Download or read book The Kurdistan Region of Iraq written by World Bank World Bank and published by World Bank Publications. This book was released on 2015-04-20 with total page 193 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The Kurdistan region of Iraq is facing an economic and humanitarian crisis as a result of the influx of Syrian refugees which began in 2012 and internally displaced persons (IDPs) in 2014. The region's population increased by 28 percent over a short period, placing strains on the local economy, host community, and access to public services. This book provides national and regional policy makers with a technical assessment of the impact and stabilization costs needed for 2015 associated with the influx of refugees and IDPs. The stabilization cost for 2015 is estimated at US$1.4 billion in additional spending above and beyond the region's budget. This estimate could significantly increase should the crisis persist longer. The study highlights how prices and unemployment have increased, and refugees and IDPs entering the labor market are pushing wages down. A surge in violence led to supply side shocks. The ISIS crisis has had a significant effect on trade of goods and services. Transportation routes were disrupted. Foreign direct investment flows have declined and operations of foreign enterprises have been adversely affected. Disruption of public investment projects have had a negative impact on the economy. Based on the World Bank estimates, economic growth contracted by 5 percentage points in the region and the poverty rate more than doubled, rising from 3.5 percent to 8.1 percent. While the government has been responsive to addressing the needs of the displaced population up until now, more resources are needed to avert this humanitarian crisis and address the needs of the displaced population in the medium- and long-term. The report is an outcome of close collaboration between a wide spectrum of World Bank experts and regional government institutions and international partners.