Ntsevu et al. (2026) Variation in Land Surface Temperature in Informal Settlements Relative to Surrounding Heterogeneous Areas: Insights from Dunoon and Masiphumelele, Cape Town

⚠️ Warning: This summary was generated from the abstract only, as the full text was not available.

Identification

• Journal: Land
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-04-15
• Authors: Nhlanhla Ntsevu, Masilonyane Mokhele
• DOI: 10.3390/land15040647

Research Groups

Not specified

Short Summary

This study analyzes land surface temperatures (LST) in the informal settlements of Masiphumelele and Dunoon in Cape Town, South Africa, relative to their surroundings. The findings reveal that heat intensity is relative, with Masiphumelele exhibiting higher LST and Dunoon exhibiting lower LST than their respective surrounding areas.

Objective

• To analyze and compare land surface temperatures (LSTs) in informal settlements versus surrounding urban areas to identify heat-related patterns.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Local scale (Masiphumelele and Dunoon, Cape Town, South Africa).
• Temporal Scale: 2020–2025.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: LST derivation and spatial analysis using four indices: Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), Normalized Difference Built-up Index (NDBI), Bare Soil Index (BSI), and Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI).
• Data sources: Landsat 8 Collection 2 Level 2 Surface Reflectance and Surface Temperature products, downscaled to a 10 m resolution.

Main Results

• Heat intensity in informal settlements is a relative phenomenon influenced by local factors.
• Masiphumelele demonstrated elevated mean LST compared to its surrounding areas.
• Dunoon demonstrated a lower mean LST compared to its surrounding areas.

Contributions

• Provides empirical evidence of thermal patterns in informal settlements to guide urban planning and climate adaptation strategies, specifically advocating for the equitable provision of green and blue infrastructure.

Funding

Not specified

Citation

@article{Ntsevu2026Variation,
  author = {Ntsevu, Nhlanhla and Mokhele, Masilonyane},
  title = {Variation in Land Surface Temperature in Informal Settlements Relative to Surrounding Heterogeneous Areas: Insights from Dunoon and Masiphumelele, Cape Town},
  journal = {Land},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.3390/land15040647},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.3390/land15040647}
}