ABSTRACT
The urban heat island is one of the most important manifestations of the urban climate, and has been the subject of much research since it was first described for the city of London by Luke Howard in 1818. Its intensity varies significantly on a diurnal and seasonal basis, and the phenomenon is known to be a complex one. This chapter reviews the wealth of field studies on the urban heat island, seeking to illuminate the relationship between the intensity of the urban heat island and the various factors that contribute to its formation. Starting with the basic relationship between city size and the maximum urban–rural temperature difference, a series of progressively detailed models will be introduced to examine the causative factors of the urban heat island.
