Assessment of the impact of the different settlement patterns on the summer land surface temperature: Elazığ

Currently, cities are at the center of the debate on global warming since land use and land cover change (LULC) in cities are considered to be major contributors to global climate change. In this study, Çarşı and Doğukent Neighborhood areas in the city center of Elazığ province, Turkey, were examined in terms of land use and land cover (LULC). Both areas were chosen because they have different patterns and features, such as different residential densities, street aspect ratios and orientations, impervious surfaces, vegetation, and elevations. The aim is to assess the effect of the different patterns of these settlements on the land surface temperature (LST) using Landsat 8 satellite images in the summertime, July 19, 2021. The results showed that the maximum, minimum, and average LST of the Doğukent Neighborhood, which is characterized by uniform streets with dense vegetation and streets oriented to the NE-SW or NW-SE, were recorded as 44.4, 38.4, and 41.0 °C, respectively, while 45.4, 40.4, and 43.8 °C were recorded in the Çarşı Neighborhood characterized by excessive residential areas and deep streets with lack of vegetation oriented to the E-W direction. However, the average difference is around 2.8 °C, implying that residential areas with mid-building heights and vegetated streets oriented to NE-SW or NW-SE are thermally better than those with high aspect ratio streets and lacking vegetation and oriented to E-W. It was found that small variations in land elevation of these areas do not significantly affect the LST. The results of this study will set an example not only for the city of Elazığ, but also for the determination of urban transformation areas, new housing areas, and climate change in most cities of Turkey and other countries, and will provide support for sustainable and more livable urbanization in most cities. Transferring the data obtained by local governments to the physical plan decisions could also contribute to preventing climate change.