The Impact of Lake Morphological Characteristics on Urban Cooling: a Case Study of Wuhan

Urban lakes play a crucial role in mitigating the urban heat island (UHI) effect, but the relationship between lake morphology and cooling efficiency remains not fully understood. Addressing this research gap, our study focuses on the lakes in Wuhan, integrating remote sensing technology and data analysis to investigate the influence of lake morphology on cooling capacity. The research emphasizes three main aspects: a) developing a methodological framework to estimate the spatial extent of lake cooling influence with different sizes; b) sing partial correlation analysis to reduce interference from other factors, and analyzing the correlation between lake morphology indices and cooling efficiency, with particular attention to spatial variations between central and non-central urban areas; and c) exploring the mechanisms through which lake morphology influences cooling capacity. The findings reveal that in central urban areas, complex shorelines and higher fractal dimensions significantly improve cooling efficiency and capacity, while in non-central areas, the correlation is weaker. This study not only advances the scientific understanding of the ecological functions of urban lakes but also provides practical insights for urban planning and ecological construction, offering solutions to alleviate urban heat islands and create more livable and sustainable urban environments.