  Understanding the relationship between spatial structures of cities and
environmental hazard exposures (such as urban heat) is essential for urban
health and sustainability planning. However, a critical knowledge gap exists in
terms of the extent to which socio-spatial networks shaped by human mobility
exacerbate or alleviate urban heat exposures of populations in cities. In this
study, we utilize location-based data to construct human mobility networks in
twenty metropolitan areas in the U.S. The human mobility networks are analyzed
in conjunction with the urban heat characteristics of spatial areas. We
identify areas with high and low urban heat exposure and evaluate visitation
patterns of populations residing in high and low urban heat areas to other
spatial areas with similar and dissimilar urban heat exposure. The results
reveal the presence of urban heat traps in the majority of the studied
metropolitan areas in which populations residing in high heat exposure areas
primarily visit areas with high heat exposure. The results also show a small
percentage of human mobility to produce urban heat escalate (visitations from
low heat areas to high heat areas) and heat escapes (movements from high heat
areas to low heat areas). The findings from this study provide a better
understanding of urban heat exposure in cities based on patterns of human
mobility. These finding contribute to a broader understanding of the
intersection of human network dynamics and environmental hazard exposures in
cities to inform more integrated urban design and planning to promote health
and sustainability.
