• Korean Journal of Remote Sensing
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• v.11 no.3
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• pp.83-100
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• 1995

The land-use has changed rapidly during the last two decades in accordance with urbanization in the Seoul Metropolitan Region. As a result of these changes, the local climate has undergone changes as well. This study intends to define the land-use changes, and then to show how they have brought in significant changes in the local climates. Land-use changes in the study area so repidly that up-to date maps and documents are not available at present. Therefore, Landsat data for land-use classification and NOAA AVHRR thermal data for the temperature fields were analyzed. Additionary, to visualize the effect of the land-use on the local climate, computer-enhanced brightness temperatures, Green Belt and city boundaries were overlaid on land-use patterns obtained from satellite images using GIS techniques. The results of analysis demonstrate that Green Space in the Seoul Metropolitan Region decreased from 94% to 62% while urban land-use increased ten times, from 4% to 39% for the period of 1972-1992. The resulting disappearance of biomass caused by land-use changes may have implications for the local-and micro-climate. The results show that the local climate of the study area became drier and warmer. This study also suggests a need for further studies of man's effects on local climate to minimize adverse influences and hazardous pollution and efficacious ways for urban planning.