INVESTIGATION OF GREEN SPACE COOLING POTENTIAL ON LAND SURFACE TEMPERATURE IN ANTALYA CITY OF TURKEY

Abstract. The aim of this study is to investigate the potential cooling effect of urban green spaces on land surface temperature (LST). Two significant green areas and their surroundings in the Konyaaltı district of Antalya province were selected as the sample area. Antalya is one of the most important tourist destinations in Turkey and has experienced rapid population growth along with increasing construction. Because the sample area is located in the Mediterranean Climate Zone, the research datasets were limited to a 6-month time series covering May and October, as recommended by previous studies. In the study, cloudless Landsat 8 satellite images were utilized to obtain vegetation density and land surface temperature. After making atmospheric corrections to the satellite images, the researchers used a series of algorithms to calculate NDVI and LST values from Landsat 8's NIR, Red, and thermal bands. A linear cross-section was assigned from the maps, and statistical analysis was performed by applying the Pearson correlation test to the data obtained from the pixels in contact with the section. The analysis revealed that there is a strong opposite correlation between plant density and land surface temperature, and the land surface temperature decreases as the plant density increases. The cooling effect of green areas range from 0.13–1.04 °C, although it varies according to the month. The 1st sample area had an average cooling effect of 0.77 °C, while the 2nd sample area had an average of 0.28 °C cooling effect. Combining the results from both sample areas, the researchers found that urban green spaces provide a cooling effect of 0.52 °C during the hot months of the spring and summer seasons in the Mediterranean climate zone. The results suggest that green areas play an important role in cooling today's cities that have turned into concrete jungles. Therefore, it is suggested that increasing the presence of urban green areas through green infrastructure planning can not only enhance the cooling effect of green spaces in urban areas but also help combat global climate change.