Dominant urban form and its relation to nighttime land surface temperature in the rapidly urbanizing National Capital Region of India

Abstract Urban form is generally accepted to be the most significant aspect controlling LST. This study analyzes the spatio-temporal urban growth pattern in India’s rapidly urbanizing National Capital Region (NCR) to discern its dominant urban form based on urban sprawl metrics (USM - a neighborhood based built-up density approach) and traces its spatio-temporal growth patterns. It then gauges the relations between the landscape composition and various development modes of this dominant urban form with the ascertained nighttime LST distribution. The results of the USM based analysis show that the NCR's dominant urban form is constituted by the urban core, which has expanded markedly during the study period of 2000-2018. Within the urban core, nighttime LST increased, particularly during the fall months. Linear regression models (both non-spatial and spatial) reveal a positive relation between the nighttime LST and the built-up area and infilling growth mode. Contrarily, nighttime LST is negatively correlated with the edge-expansion and the respective areas under urbanized green and non-green open spaces. New planning approaches are thus required to restrict infilling based densification and promote well-planned edge-expansion with the designation of new green spaces as well as the greening existing non-green open spaces, particularly in areas underprovided with greenery.