Theses and Dissertations

Issuing Body

Mississippi State University

Advisor

Fuhrmann, Christopher

Committee Member

Mercer, Andrew

Committee Member

Wax, Charles

Committee Member

Fulford Taze

Date of Degree

8-12-2016

Document Type

Graduate Thesis - Open Access

Major

Professional Meteorology/Climatology

Degree Name

Master of Science

College

College of Arts and Sciences

Department

Department of Geosciences

Abstract

Urbanization and a changing climate have encouraged more discussion as to how the urban heat island affects humans and society. This research examines three temperature variables (air temperature, apparent temperature, and surface skin temperature) across the Jackson, Mississippi metropolitan area to determine if intra-city thermal variability in select neighborhoods and business districts is connected to the built environment of each location. Using hand-held observation equipment, official weather observations from nearby airports, and land cover data from the United States Geological Survey, this research suggests that the built environment is contributing to the thermal variability around the city; however, the fine scale variations require closer investigation of the built environment around them to confirm or deny their role in the variations. Some sustainable urban design recommendations such as street shading and increasing the tree canopy are included for select areas throughout the Jackson Metro (Lakeland Drive, the Governor’s Mansion, etc.).

URI

https://hdl.handle.net/11668/20626

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