Throughout history, "human population migrated to areas that have better accessibility to resources such as water bodies, lower elevations, crops, and etc." (Dr. Al Rydant: Geography Professor Keene State College) As people move toward these areas, the land surface experience alterations to meet the demands of accessibility of resources by adding impervious surfaces. Impervious surfaces are surfaces that don't absorb water easily, such as roads, roofs, parking lots, and sidewalks. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2792934/
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With these surfaces added and more people migrate to these areas, It becomes an urban area. These surfaces are made for easier accessibility for humans such as walking, driving, and living. Most of the human population in the world live in urban areas.
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As a result to these impervious surfaces replacing the natural environment, it is causing the substances heat up to temperatures that are much hotter than it should be. Comparing to natural vegetative/rural areas, the temperature differences are astronomical because rural/vegetative areas reflect solar radiation while urban areas that are made with man made surfaces absorb the solar radiation.
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Ultimately, the increased temperatures is creating a backlash for people who reside in these urban areas. Examples are health issues from air pollution, heat stroke from the hot temperature, etc. It would also create more stormwater runoff.
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In Massachusetts, the land area for the commonwealth is 10,554 sq mile (united states census). The land surface of the state is much more rural than urban. However, more residents in the commonwealth are residing in urban areas. The largest amount of population in the commonwealth reside in the metro Boston/coast area while outliers of population reside in urban areas that are outside the metro boston area.
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Using remote sensing, it shows how to study urban heat island by using either satellite or airborne sensors to view differences of thermal activity in the urban areas. This website serves information to the public with urban heat island issues and looking at the commonwealth of massachusetts urban heat island and how it affects everyday lives.
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