Monitoring Anthropogenic Effects in
Houston
ABSTRACT
The rapid population growth over past fifteen years in and around the city of Houston has
contributed to an overall loss in vegetation and an increase in urban areas. Using datasets from
Landsat a link between population increase, loss in vegetation and a rise in overall temperature
and pollution levels was evaluated by utilizing maximum likelihood classifications, normalized
difference vegetation index (NDVI) analysis, thermal imagery data extraction techniques and
independent environmental statistics. The outcomes of this research will help detect similar
events that will occur in the future.
INTRODUCTION
Change detection studies can provide important information in regards to how the same feature,
or surface property, has changed with respect to time. There are several applications in which
change detection can be used, but understanding the urbanization of Houston is the main focus of
this study. The city of Houston is a growing metropolis in southeast Texas that has been subject
to rapid urbanization over the past 15 years. Using multispectral data from Landsat satellites,
change detection and image classification techniques have made it possible to further visualize
and understand the urbanization of Houston.
JANICE NAVARRO
Student
WILLIAM QUINN
Student
SANAM AMIROVA
Student
ANDREW HOFFMAN
Student
JUAN CAMACHO
Student
TYLER GRUBBS
Student
