Heat islands in the conurbation of the Panuco river

Abstract

Objective

To identify the heat islands in the urban area of Pánuco River through studies of air temperature at night, identification of urban morphology and the albedo of the surface.

Methodology

The bibliographical and cartographical studies were realized. The routes of the municipalities of Altamira, Tampico, Madero and Pueblo Viejo were traced after the transportation analysis in the city plan. Isotherms were drawn, a result of the transect route. The satellite image of Land Sat8 from August 2014 was worked on in Qgis to identify the temperatures of the surfaces. The urban morphology was identified where the heat islands were located.

Conclusions

Air temperature with the identification of the morphology of the urban area and the use of satellite images allowed a more precise location of the heat islands in the urban area of Pánuco River, highlighting the industrial area in Madero and Altamira as the areas with the most energy emission contributed to the heat islands, as well as Tampico’s golden zone (the commercial area): Hidalgo Avenue and its large 1-5 story buildings, with building materials such as concrete, brick, stone and tile, big asphalted areas of commercial parking lots, with little to no trees; the new social interest residential lots in Altamira with a small housing density of one and two levels with extensive water-resistant surfaces with little to no green areas.

Originality

The identification of heat islands in the urban area of Tampico will serve town planners to program cities with sustainable urban strategies. Where the uses of the soil related to urban morphology, vehicular movement and outdoors activities which generate different energy values are considered when projecting in the cities.