After carefully analyzing the results obtained from processing the satellite images, we found that our initial hypothesis was only partially correct. At the start of our research, we predicted that the location of bodies of water and their respective compositions would have an impact on the temperature levels. We also predicted that there would be evidence of the “Heat Island Effect” in the Houston, Texas area. While our research did present us with possible proof of the “Heat Island Effect,” it also showed low thermal variations in the bodies of water regardless of their location with respect to industrialization. When viewing the compiled results for both the and cooler months from the year 2000 to 2017, the bodies of water remain relatively uniform. These balanced results are likely due to the high specific heat of water. Since the size of these bodies of water is vast, it would require a great amount of energy to cause a dramatic change in temperature for these bodies of water (Perlman, 2016). 

           Our results did show evidence of the “Heat Island Effect” within the Houston, Texas area. When analyzing the bar charts associated with the results from each satellite as well as the compiled graphical results for all 17 years, there is a more noticeable jump in temperature in the city of Houston versus the other regions of interest. This gap serves as evidence that urban areas display the “Heat Island Effect” which causes their thermal data to be higher than surrounding areas (Energy, unknown). The reasons for this effect in the Houston area could be due to a greater level of industrialization which in turn decreases the vegetation in the area. This contributes to the increase in temperature compared to rural areas with more vegetation (Satellite-measured, 2003). 

         We also found that there was a dramatic dip in temperatures for the years 2014 and 2015 on the graphs. After further research we were able to deduce that this drop is likely due to the anomalously cold winter of 2014-2015 (Record, 2015). There were record cold temperatures for areas of Texas, such as Dallas and North Texas, which likely pushed a particularly cold front towards Houston (Garza, 2015; Snow, 2015). This movement of cold air to Houston could explain the dramatic dip for the cooler, and to some degree, the warmer months. Since the cooler months were characterized with abnormally cold temperatures for this area, it likely had enough energy and time to decrease the temperature of the bodies of water. These bodies of water will likely have retained their cooler temperatures for a while since the specific heat of the water keeps it from drastically transitioning back to its typical temperatures for the warmer months.