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Analysis of Airport Traffic Impact on Land Surface Temperature Variability through MODIS and Landsat Remote Sensing: A Case Study of Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport

Organization(s):United States of America GLOBE v-School
Country:United States of America
Student(s):Herui Ray Li, Avitej (Avi) Akula, Ojas Shastri
Grade Level:Secondary School (grades 9-12, ages 14-18)
Educator(s):Tanzia Ahmed, Olawale Oluwafemi, Dr. Kevin Czajkowski
Contributors:
Report Type(s):International Virtual Science Symposium Report, Mission Earth Report
Protocols:Surface Temperature
Presentation Video: View Video
Presentation Poster: View Document
Language(s):English
Date Submitted:07/21/2025
This project analyzes how airport traffic impacts Land Surface Temperature (LST) using MODIS and Landsat data at Atlanta’s Hartsfield-Jackson Airport compared to downtown Atlanta. The study examined LST from May to October in 2020 (during COVID-19 travel reduction) and 2024 (post-COVID). Results show the airport’s surface temperature increased relative to the city post-COVID, likely due to higher air traffic, with a marginally significant difference (p = 0.08). The study highlights that airports, with extensive asphalt and concrete surfaces, can exhibit localized heat islands similar to cities, contributing to urban heat patterns. Limitations included cloud cover affecting Landsat data accuracy. Future research could expand this approach to other airports to compare LST changes during and post-COVID across multiple cities, providing insights for climate and urban heat mitigation planning.