Urbanization and human-caused climate changes have led to increases in heat events around the world. For example, in July 2012, an extreme heat wave hit the Chicago area, causing temperatures to skyrocket to 40°C (104°F) and above. Chicago, like most cities, is affected by urban heat islands (UHIs), which occur when changes in land cover create spaces that are warmer than their surrounding area. Satellite measurements can be used to inform models to characterize the intensity of UHIs, yet satellite techniques have some limitations—expensive sensors and low temporal resolution, among other drawbacks. But quantifying the intensity of UHIs could help public health officials and city planners learn to mitigate the impacts of future heat waves.
Chicago
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Chicago Wetlands Shrank by 40% During the 20th Century
A team of graduate students measured wetland and biodiversity changes during the 100 years following the reversal of the Chicago River.
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Is Chicago Water Pollution Halting a Silver Carp Invasion?
Pollution is definitely not the solution to stopping invasive silver carp, researchers assert. But cleaner waters could affect the invasion front.