Comparative Analysis of Urban Heat Island (UHI) Intensity using Remote Sensing: A Case Study of Thanjavur and Tiruchirappalli

The rise in global temperatures has been significantly influenced by the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect, which causes urban areas to experience higher temperatures than surrounding rural regions. This phenomenon is primarily attributed to rapid urbanization and reduced vegetation cover. The present study investigates UHI intensity in the urban and rural regions of Tiruchirappalli and Thanjavur districts over the period 2012–2022. Land Surface Temperature (LST) data derived from the MODIS satellite product were used to measure temperature variations. The results indicate that Tiruchirappalli exhibits a consistently higher UHI intensity compared to Thanjavur, although seasonal fluctuations were observed. To assess the role of vegetation, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) was employed. Analysis revealed that rural areas generally have a higher vegetation index due to lower surface temperatures, whereas urban regions, particularly Tiruchirappalli, show reduced vegetation cover. In contrast, Thanjavur demonstrated improved vegetation levels, likely due to better greening practices. The findings underscore the critical role of vegetation in mitigating UHI effects. Urban planning strategies such as increasing green cover and the use of reflective building materials are recommended to reduce UHI intensity. This study highlights the utility of remote sensing techniques for monitoring UHI and vegetation patterns. Future research can be extended by incorporating high-resolution datasets and seasonal data to better understand UHI dynamics.