Intra urban thermal distributions in the cities of Santiago and Valparaíso. Comparative analysis of their explicative factors

This work fits into the theme of urban climate, specifically the variability of canopy-scale thermal field..  Data of atmospheric temperature are analyzed in the cities of Santiago and Valparaiso, located at similar  latitude, but in the interior and on the coast, respectively, during the summer of 2009 and 2011. The multiple causes of temperature behavior and their spatial distribution are analyzed considering natural landscape  components, as well as those related to the degree of urban disturbance in different areas within both cities. It  makes use of techniques associated with the use of spatial analysis, statistical inference and to a lesser extent,  to remote sensing. In Santiago, the results show the presence of a heat island, which manifests itself with greater intensity at night. It presents a typical gradient, which is a peak in the central areas of the city, which corresponds, largely, with results obtained by previous research. The case of Valparaiso, is fairly similar during the afternoon and evening. Heat is concentrated in the center or the city plan, decreasing the intensity  of the temperatures toward the periphery. In both cases, the presence and state of the vegetation, as well as the proportion of waterproofed and built surfaces are crucial to the decrease and increase of the records respectively, so it is suggested that these variables are considered as strategic components of environmental management and planning of cities.