 Rahul Kumar
Climate change | Urban Microsystem | Water Resources Management | Agriculture | Natural Disasters | Remote sensing and GIS | Machine Learning
Rahul Kumar
PhD Civil Engineering, IIT Gandhinagar
Contact:
Ph: +91 8780913553
Email: rahul.kmr@iitgn.alumni.ac.in | rahul.kmr.clim@gmail.com
Research overview
Dominant control of agriculture and irrigation on urban heat island in India
The urban heat island (UHI) effect is a well-known phenomenon in which urban areas are warmer than surrounding rural areas. This is due to a number of factors, including the presence of impervious surfaces, lack of vegetation, and increased heat emissions from buildings and vehicles. In India, the UHI effect is particularly pronounced, and can have a significant impact on public health and the environment.
In this study we found that agriculture and irrigation are the two dominant drivers of UHI in India. The study, which was conducted by researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Gandhinagar, used a combination of satellite observations and land surface models to investigate the factors that contribute to UHI in India.
The study found that the presence of agriculture and irrigation in surrounding rural areas leads to a decrease in evapotranspiration, which in turn leads to an increase in surface temperature. This is because vegetation and water bodies help to cool the air by evaporating water. In contrast, urban areas are typically characterized by a lack of vegetation and water bodies, which leads to higher temperatures.
The study also found that the UHI effect is more pronounced at night, when there is less solar radiation to offset the heat loss from the Earth's surface. This is because the lack of vegetation in urban areas means that there is less water vapor in the air to absorb heat.
The findings of this study have important implications for urban planning and climate change adaptation in India. The study suggests that reducing the amount of agriculture and irrigation in surrounding rural areas could help to mitigate the UHI effect. Additionally, increasing the amount of vegetation in urban areas could help to cool the air and reduce the risk of heat-related illnesses.
The study also highlights the importance of considering the impact of agriculture and irrigation on UHI when planning for future urban growth in India. As the country continues to urbanize, the UHI effect is likely to become even more pronounced. By understanding the factors that contribute to UHI, policymakers can develop strategies to mitigate the effects of climate change and improve the quality of life for urban residents.
Decline in surface urban heat island intensity in India during heatwaves
The urban heat island (UHI) effect is a well-known phenomenon in which urban areas are warmer than surrounding rural areas. This is due to a number of factors, including the presence of impervious surfaces, lack of vegetation, and increased heat emissions from buildings and vehicles. In India, the UHI effect is particularly pronounced, and can have a significant impact on public health and the environment.
The study was published in the journal Environmental Research Letters. We found that the UHI effect in India declines during heatwaves and the rural region faces more pronounced effect of heatwaves than their urban counterpart in most of the cities. The study used a combination of satellite observations and land surface models to investigate the factors that contribute to UHI in India during heatwaves.
The study found that the decline in UHI intensity during heatwaves is due to a number of factors, however, we found a pronounced effect of reduced evapotranspiration and vegetation cover affecting the temperature contrast in urban and surrounding rural belt. During heatwaves in India, the amount of water available for evapo-transpiration and crop cover removal after harvest season leads to a lower land surface cooling in the rural belt as compared to the nearby urban region, which usually has tree and shrubs.
The findings of this study have important implications for urban planning and climate change adaptation in India. The study suggests that the UHI effect in India is likely to become even more pronounced in the future due to climate change. By understanding the factors that contribute to UHI during heatwaves, policymakers can develop strategies to improve the quality of life for urban residents in India.
In addition to the factors mentioned above, the study also found that the decline in UHI intensity during heatwaves is more pronounced in cities with a higher density of vegetation. This is because vegetation helps to cool the air and land by evaporating water. Therefore, increasing the amount of vegetation in urban areas could help to mitigate the effects of climate change and improve the quality of life for urban residents in India.