Analyzing Urbanization's Influence on Air Pollution and Land Surface Temperature via Remote Sensing in Google Earth Engine

This study investigates the environmental impacts of urbanization in Tehran province from 2018 to 2022 using Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) Day/Night Band (DNB) data to assess urban growth, alongside air pollution data from Sentinel-5P and land surface temperature (LST) from MODIS. The findings indicate a significant increase in VIIRS DNB data, suggesting rapid urbanization. Analysis revealed a notable rise in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution, while carbon monoxide (CO) and ozone (O3) showed weak trends. MODIS data indicated a 1°C increase in LST over the study period. Correlation analysis demonstrated a strong relationship between DNB data and NO2/CO, with a moderate correlation to nighttime LST, while the relationship with O3 was weak. The results underscore the need for enhanced pollution control, green infrastructure, and sustainable urban planning in rapidly growing cities like Tehran.