Constructing an urban heat island network based on connectivity perspective: A case study of Harbin, China

Abstract

Accurately identifying the key areas of urban heat islands (UHIs) is crucial for effectively mitigating the UHI effect. Current research has mainly focused on independent heat island patches while neglecting the impact of their interconnectivity on UHI effects. To address this research gap, we conducted a study on constructing UHI networks from the connectivity perspective. First, we used morphological spatial pattern analysis (MSPA) to identify heat island sources and evaluate their significance. Subsequently, using land use data, we constructed a thermal diffusion resistance surface and assessed its spatial characteristics. Finally, we applied circuit theory to identify the thermal connectivity corridors and key nodes among heat island sources. The main urban area of Harbin was used as the study area, and the following findings were obtained: (1) we identified a total of 36 heat island source areas, among which 2 were categorized as having the highest importance level and 9 as having the second-highest importance level. (2) The spatial distribution of heat island resistance in the study area exhibited a distinct north–south pattern, with higher values obtained for the north and lower values for the south. (3) We identified 71 heat-connected corridors and 35 key nodes, with most key nodes located in the northern part of the study area. These results hold significant theoretical and practical implications for alleviating the impact of regional UHIs and enhancing urban climate adaptation capacity.

Keywords

• Urban heat island network
• Morphological spatial pattern analysis
• Circuit theory
• Climate adaptation
• Harbin