Spatiotemporal Changes in the Urban Heat Island Intensity of Distinct Local Climate Zones: Case Study of Zhongshan District, Dalian, China

Intensified due to rapid urbanization and global warming-induced high temperature extremes, the urban heat island effect has become a major environmental concern for urban residents. Scientific methods used to calculate the urban heat island intensity (UHII) and its alleviation have become urgent requirements for urban development. This study is carried out in Zhongshan District, Dalian City, which has a total area of 43.85 km2 and a 27.5 km-long coastline. The mono-window algorithm was used to retrieve the land surface temperatures (LSTs), employing Landsat remote sensing images, meteorological data, and building data from 2003, 2008, 2013, and 2019. In addition, the district was divided into local climate zones (LCZs) based on the estimated intensities and spatiotemporal variations of the heat island effect. The results show that, from 2003 to 2019, LCZs A and D shrank by 3.225 km2 and 0.395 km2, respectively, whereas LCZs B, C, and 1–6 expanded by 0.932 km2, 0.632 km2, and 2.056 km2, respectively. During this period, the maximum and minimum LSTs in Zhongshan increased by 1.365°C and 1.104°C, respectively. The LST and UHII levels of all LCZs peaked in 2019. The average LSTs of LCZs A–C increased by 1.610°C, 0.880°C, and 3.830°C, respectively, and those of LCZs 1–6 increased by 2°C–4°C. The UHIIs of LCZs A, C, and D increased by 0.730, 2.950, and 0.344, respectively, and those of LCZs 1–6 increased from 1.370–2.977 to 3.744–5.379. Overall, the regions with high LSTs are spatiotemporally correlated with high building densities. In this study, the land cover was then classified into four types (LCZs A–D) using visual interpretation and object-oriented classification, including forested land, low vegetation, bare ground, and water. Besides, the buildings were categorized as LCZs 1–6, which, respectively, represented low-density low-rises buildings, low-density high-rises buildings, low-density super high-rises buildings, high-density low-rises buildings, high-density high-rises buildings, and high-density super high-rises buildings.