Unraveling the complexities of land transformation and its impact on urban sustainability through land surface temperature analysis

Due to the ongoing population increase over the past years, fast and unchecked urbanization has been occurring in the urban centers of developing nations like India. As a result, land transformation is taking place at a fast pace leading to the creation of urban heat island (UHI). Urban heat island (UHI) constitutes a significant human alteration to the Earth system. Hence, this study presents a rigorous and comprehensive analysis of the impact of land use and cover on land surface temperature (LST) in Aligarh City, Uttar Pradesh, India, using multi-dimensional satellite data. The research collected Landsat data for four different phases (1991, 2001, 2011, and 2021) and analyzed it in conjunction with land use and cover (LULC) data to identify trends and variations. The result shows a consistent increase in LST since 1991, with built-up and bare land areas exhibiting the highest temperatures across all phases. Moreover, the study found that impervious land had the most significant effect on LST, followed by water bodies and vegetation cover. The analysis of the proportion of the area with the lowest and highest LST showed interesting trends, with a greater portion of Aligarh City experiencing a temperature range between 15 and 16 °C in 2021 compared to previous years. However, the study also found that 13.55% of the area had a maximum LST of over 17 °C, which is higher than the previous measurement of 9.04%, and has been steadily increasing since 1991. The accuracy of the study was verified by detecting elevated temperatures in non-porous areas and cooler temperatures near green zones and water bodies. This study’s contribution to the research community lies in the data-driven, systematic analysis of the complex relationship between land use and cover and LST in an urban environment. The study’s findings suggest that alterations in land use/cover patterns have a significant impact on LST, which has important implications for urban planning policies. The research provides valuable insights for urban planners, policymakers, and city officials, as it highlights the need for sustainable and efficient urban planning policies to mitigate the effects of urban heat islands and rising temperatures. The study’s results have broader implications beyond Aligarh City and can inform land-use planning and policymaking in other cities facing similar challenges. This research presents a comprehensive analysis that can serve as a framework to inform land-use planning and policymaking, contributing to the development of sustainable and efficient urban environments.