Spatially-constrained clustering of geospatial features for heat vulnerability assessment of favelas in Rio de Janeiro

• URL: http://arxiv.org/abs/2604.26133v1
• Date: Tue, 28 Apr 2026 21:45:22 GMT
• Title: Spatially-constrained clustering of geospatial features for heat vulnerability assessment of favelas in Rio de Janeiro
• Abstract summary: We develop a data-driven framework to assess heat vulnerability in Rio de Janeiro's favelas.<n>We identify two distinct favela typologies: recent, well-connected settlements on flat terrain and historical, poorly-connected communities on vegetated slopes.
• Score: 0.0
• License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
• Abstract: Informal settlements face disproportionate exposure to climate-related health hazards. However, existing methodologies lack systematic approaches to link diverse settlement characteristics with environmental health outcomes. We develop a data-driven framework to assess heat vulnerability in Rio de Janeiro's favelas by combining spatially-constrained clustering with land surface temperature (LST) analysis. Using remote sensing and geospatial features, we identify two distinct favela typologies: recent, well-connected settlements on flat terrain (Cluster 0) and historical, poorly-connected communities on vegetated slopes (Cluster 1). Analysis of 16 extreme heat events reveals systematic temperature differences of 2--3$^\circ$C between clusters, with flat-terrain favelas experiencing significantly higher heat exposure. Our findings demonstrate that settlement morphology critically influences heat vulnerability, providing a replicable framework for targeted urban planning and public health interventions in informal settlements globally.

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