Publication

Abstract : The large-scale degradation of the environment has happened due to the rapid urbanization and non-scientific developments around major towns in the world. The main problem related to this scenario is the population density and fast socio-economic development in the area. The current study is an effort to investigate the spatio-temporal variations in the urban growth, land use/land cover, and the land surface temperature (LST) of a coastal town on the western coast of peninsular India that experiences a tropical climate. US-based Landsat imageries of 1988, 1997, 2001, 2014, 2016, and 2018 have been used for the investigation. Multiband analyses were performed for the estimation of geospatial indicators. The study revealed a noticeable decrease in vegetated areas and barren lands over 30 years. The built-up area increased from 1 to 22% of the total study area during these years. The average land surface temperature has been augmented from 22.2 to 29.2 °C in the study area from 1988 to 2018. Normalized difference built-up index (NDBI) showed a significant positive correlation with land surface temperature (LST) from 1988 to 2018, Whereas, normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI) recorded a significant negative correlation with LST each year. The present study revealed the need for increasing the green cover and making the developments more sustainable and environmentally friendly. The spatio-temporal database generated through the study can be used as input for future development and conservation planning and management.