Date of Graduation
7-2026
Document Type
Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Science in Geography (MS)
Degree Level
Graduate
Department
Geosciences
Advisor/Mentor
Aly, Mohamed
Committee Member
Granato, Daniela
Second Committee Member
Tullis, Jason
Keywords
Geospatial Analysis; Land Surface Temperature (LST); Texas Triangle; Urban Heat Island (UHI); Zonal Statistics
Abstract
Over the past three decades, rapid metropolitan expansion has substantially altered regional microclimates and intensified the development of Urban Heat Islands (UHIs). This study presents a 30-year geostatistical examination of urban climatology within the Texas Triangle, focusing on the metropolitan corridors of Dallas, Houston, and San Antonio from 1996 to 2025. A multi-sensor archive of Landsat 5, 7, 8, and 9 Collection 2 imagery was used to derive Land Surface Temperature (LST) through continuous geospatial processing. A multi-phase workflow was employed to assess the spatial structure and intensity of the urban microclimate. Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) mapped the density of thermal expansion, multivariate regression quantified predictive drivers, and Local Indicators of Spatial Association (LISA/Local Moran’s I) evaluated spatial autocorrelation. Multivariate regression analysis demonstrates that the Normalized Difference Built-up Index (NDBI) is the primary predictor of increasing LST. Peak summer temperatures increased from a 1996 baseline of approximately 43°C to over 60°C in Dallas and 55°C in Houston. These findings confirm that urban thermal behavior is systematically influenced by the high-thermal-mass properties of the built environment, rather than by macro-climatic changes alone. This research identifies a significant disruption of historical winter thermal norms with winter temperature peaks ranging from 35°C to 50°C. Spatial validation using LISA confirms that these non-random thermal patterns are strongly embedded within the regional geography. High-High (HH) thermal clusters align with suburban and exurban highway expansion and southern industrial corridors and Low-Low (LL) clusters are located in northern residential areas. By directly linking systematic infrastructure and highway corridor expansion to predictable UHI dynamics through rigorous spatial statistical analysis, this research offers essential empirical data for urban planners and analysts aiming to mitigate localized thermal stress and improve the climate resilience of public infrastructure.
Citation
Mim, F. (2026). Geospatial Assessment of Urban Heat Island Dynamics Across the Texas Triangle Over Three Decades. Graduate Theses and Dissertations Retrieved from https://scholarworks.uark.edu/etd/6415
