Exploring the thermal comfort zone as a fundamental parameter for assessing urban hot spots impacts in coastal urban settings

This study explores the dynamics of the Thermal Comfort Zone (TCZ) as a critical indicator for assessing the impacts of Urban Hot Spots (UHS) in coastal urban settings of Baubau and Kendari, Southeast Sulawesi, Indonesia. Multitemporal Landsat 8/9 imagery from 2014 to 2023 during summer was analyzed to integrate the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index, Normalized Difference Moisture Index, Land Surface Temperature, and Modified Temperature-Humidity Index. This integrated framework was developed to classify TCZ into five categories: Cold, Cool, Neutral, Hot, and Sweltering. The results reveal that the Neutral category predominates in both cities throughout the year. Substantial proportions of the Hot and Sweltering zones indicate a continuing decline in TCZ. Both regions experienced severe thermal comfort conditions in 2023, driven by rapid urban expansion and global climate anomalies. The negative correlations observed between NDVI/NDMI and UHS intensity highlight the critical importance of vegetation and surface moisture in mitigating UHS. This study highlights the marked vulnerability of coastal urban areas to extreme heat. The study emphasizes the necessity of ecosystem-based mitigation strategies to support climate adaptation policies and promote sustainable, resilient, and thermally comfortable coastal cities.