Studies
in urban dynamics have focused on population growth, urban sprawl and activities expansion to
determine, understand and study the phenomenon of urbanization in the world.
The methods used in these studies have explore remotely sense data from Global
Positioning Systems (GPS), satellite imagery, aerial and ground photography for
interpretation, analysis and explanation of urban land use and land cover
evolution. This data is often combined with ground observations and other
methods in social sciences to understand urban growth. In this article, data
is tapped from temperature differences analysis in multi-date satellite images
and combined with population statistics, human activities and infrastructure
build up to explain the phenomenon of urbanization. The results of the findings
will enrich our knowledge in Urban Geography on approaches and methods used in
understanding urbanization and its problems. Drawing on case study material
from Yaounde in Cameroon, this article examines how remote sensing techniques
can help in understanding urban heat island in Yaounde and its negative
outcomes on urban population, activity and the environment. As the study shows,
urban growth has a direct relation with temperature increase and an inverse
relation with vegetation change. Also, Increase in bare surfaces due to
deforestation for development and settlement increases surface temperature and
vice versa. Vegetation regulates surface temperature by absorbing energy from
solar radiation and remission in the form of latent heat through the process of
photosynthesis. Analysis of surface temperature increase through remote sensing
techniques, urban land use evolution, determinants and implications of Yaounde
heat islands constitute the focus of this paper. The implications of rise in
surface temperature and relations with urban growth are important for decision
making. This knowledge is essential for urban geography research, new
methodological approaches to urbanization and policy.
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