Thermal comfort of man in different urban environments

Summary On July 29, 1985, a hot summer day, biometeorological measurements were performed simultaneously in three different urban structures within the city of Munich and in the trunk space of a nearby tall spruce forest. Based on the results of these experiments the following thermophysiologically relevant biometeorological indices were calculated: Predicted mean vote, skin wettedness and physiologically equivalent temperature. These three indices are derived from different models for the human energy balance. They allow the assessment of the thermal components of the microclimates at the selected sites with regard to application in urban planning. The results quantitatively show the great heat stress in the urban structure street canyon, exposed to south, whereas in the trunk space of the tall spruce forest there is nearly an optimal climate even on hot summer days. Between these extremes the results for street canyon, exposed to north show a little higher heat load than for backyard with trees.

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Zusammenfassung An einem heißen Sommertag, dem 29. Juli 1985, wurden in drei Stadtstrukturen in München und im Stammraum eines nahegelegenen Fichtenhochwaldes zeitgleich biometeorologische Messungen durchgeführt. Mit den Meßergebnissen wurden folgende thermophysiologisch relevante biometeorologische Indizes berechnet: Predicted mean vote, Hautbenetzungsgrad und physiologisch äquivalente Temperatur. Diese drei Indizes beruhen auf verschiedenen Modellen zur menschlichen Energiebilanz. Mit den drei Indizes wurden die thermischen Komponenten der Mikroklimate an den ausgewählten Meßplätzen im Hinblick auf Stadtplanungsaufgaben bewertet. Die Ergebnisse zeigen quantitativ die relativ große Hitzebelastung bei der Stadtstruktur Straßenschlucht, nach Süd exponiert, während im Stammraum des Fichtenhochwaldes selbst an heißen Sommertagen nahezu optimale Bedingungen herrschen. Zwischen diesen Extremen liegen die Ergebnisse für die anderen Meßplätze, wobei für Straßenschlucht, nach Nord exponiert die Wärmebelastung etwas höher als für Innenhof mit Bäumen ist.

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With 6 Figures     

Reactions of alkoxy radicals under atmospheric conditions: The relative importance of decomposition versus reaction with O2

The reactions of alkoxy radicals determine to a large extent the products formed during the atmospheric degradations of emitted organic compounds. Experimental data concerning the decompositions, 1,5-H shift isomerizations and reactions with O₂ of several classes of alkoxy radicals are inconsistent with literature estimations of their absolute or relative rate constants. An alternative, although empirical, method for assessing the relative importance under atmospheric conditions of the reactions of alkoxy radicals with O₂ versus decomposition was derived. This estimation method utilizes the differences in the heats of reaction, (H)=(H_{decomposition}–H_{O 2 reaction}), between these two reactions pathways. For (H)[22–0.5(H_{O 2 reaction})], alkoxy radical decomposition dominates over the reaction with O₂ at room temperature and atmospheric pressure of air, while for (H)[25-0.5(H_{O 2 reaction})], the O₂ reaction dominates over decomposition (where the units of H are in kcal mol^–1). The utility and shortcomings of this approach are discussed. It is concluded that further studies concerning the reactions of alkoxy radicals are needed.     

Surface-Layer Fluxes in Stable Conditions

Micrometeorological tower data from the Microfronts experiment are analyzed. Scale-dependencies of the flux and flux sampling error are combined to automatically determine Reynolds turbulence cut-off time scales for computing fluxes from time series. The computed downward heat flux at the 3 m height averaged over nine nights with 7.3 hours each night is 20% greater than the downward heat flux computed at the 10 m height. In contrast, there is only a 1.2% difference between 3 m and 10 m heat fluxes averaged over daytime periods, and there is less than a 2% difference between 3 m and 10 m momentum fluxes whether averaged over nighttime or daytime periods.Stability functions, M(z/L) and H(z/L) are extended to z/L up to 10, where z is the observational height and L is the Obukhov length. For 0.01 < z/L < 1 the estimated functions generally agree with Businger-Dyer formulations, though the H estimates include more scatter compared to the M estimates. For 1 < z/L < 10, the flux intermittency increases, the flux Richardson number exceeds 0.2, and the number of flux samples decreases. Nonetheless the estimates of the stability function M based on 3-m fluxes are closer to the formula proposed by Beljaars and Holtslag in 1991 while the M functions based on 10-m fluxes appears to be closer to the formula proposed by Businger et al. in 1971. The stability function H levels off at z/L = 0.5.     

On Trajectory Curvature as a Selection Criterion for Valid Lagrangian Stochastic Dispersion Models

Recently Wilson and Flesch (Boundary-Layer Meteorology, 84, 411-426, 1997) suggested that the average increment d z to the orientation = arctan(w/u) of the Lagrangian velocity-fluctuation vector can be used to distinguish the better Lagrangian stochastic models within the well-mixed class. Here it is demonstrated that the specification of d z constitutes neither a sufficient or universally applicable criterion to distinguish the better Lagrangian stochastic models within the well-mixed class. The hypothesis made by Wilson and Flesch that Lagrangian stochastic models with /P_E irrotational are zero-spin models, having d z=0, is proven     

Modelling the effects of albedo change associated with tropical deforestation

The effects in climate models of changes in albedo and soil moisture which are expected to follow from tropical deforestation are reviewed. The major results from experiments with tropical forest regions (a) forested (Experiment F) and (b) grass-covered (Experiment G) are compared over South America and Central Africa. Then, Experiment F is compared with Experiment 2 which has constant snowfree albedo of 0.2, close to that of grassland; in both South America and Zaire regions, the albedo changes for (G-F) and (2-F) are similar and, as Experiment 2 is an eight year run, assessments of the statistical significance can be made.The results for December to February and March to May show a decrease of rainfall over the Amazon region and also to the southeast outside the area which has changed albedos in (G-F). These decreases are common to both (G-F) and (2-F) and are statistically significant in the comparison with the eight year record for Experiment 2. Deforestation in the Zaire regions is associated with similar changes, which, though less extensive, are generally larger in relation to the albedo changes. In June to August, changes are small south of the equator because the rainbelt has moved north; in South America larger, significant decreases are obtained north of the equator.The drying with increased albedo is due to decreases in both evaporation and moisture convergence. The decreases in evaporation result both from a reduction in absorbed energy at the surface and an increase in surface resistance to evaporation due to greater soil moisture deficits arising from earlier decreases in rainfall.     

Northern hemisphere atmospheric response to changes of atlantic ocean SST on decadal time scales: a GCM experiment

Analyses indicate that the Atlantic Ocean seasurface temperature (SST) was considerably colder at the beginning than in the middle of the century. In parallel, a systematic change in the North Atlantic sea-level pressure (SLP) pattern was observed. To find out whether the SST and SLP changes analyzed are consistent, which would indicate that the SST change was real and not an instrumental artifact, a response experiment with a low-resolution (T21) atmospheric GCM was performed. Two perpetual January simulations were conducted, which differ solely in the Atlantic Ocean (40° S-60° N) SST: the cold simulation utilizes the SSTs for the period 1904–1913; the warm simulation uses the SSTs for the period 1951–1960. Also, a control run with the model's standard SST somewhat between the cold and warm SST was made. For the response analysis, a rigorous statistical approach was taken. First, the null hypothesis of identical horizontal distributions was subjected to a multivariate significance test. Second, the level of recurrence was estimated. The multivariate statistical approaches are based on hierarchies of test models. We examined three different hierarchies: a scale-dependent hierarchy based on spherical harmonics (S), and two physically motivated ones, one based on the barotropic normal modes of the mean 300 hPa flow (B) and one based on the eigenmodes of the advection diffusion operator at 1000 hPa (A). The intercomparison of the cold and warm experiments indicates a signal in the geostrophic stream function that in the S-hierarchy is significantly nonzero and highly recurrent. In the A-hierarchy, the low level temperature field is identified as being significantly and recurrently affected by the altered SST distribution. The SLP signal is reasonably similar to the SLP change observed. Unexpectedly, the upper level stream-function signal does not appear to be significantly nonzero in the B-hierarchy. If, however, the pairs of experiments warm versus control and cold versus control are examined in the B-hierarchy, a highly significant and recurrent signal emerges. We conclude that the cold versus warm response is not a small disturbance that would allow the signal to be described by eigenmodes of the linear system. An analysis of the three-dimensional structure of the signal leads to the hypothesis that two different mechanisms are acting to modify the model's mean state. At low levels, local heating and advection are dominant, but at upper levels the extratropical signal is a remote responce to modifications of the tropical convection.This paper was presented at the International Conference on Modelling of Global Climate Change and Variability, held in Hamburg 11–15 September 1989 under the auspices of the Meteorological Institute of the University of Hamburg and the Max Planck Institute for Meteorology. Guest Editor for these papers is Dr. L. Dilmenil.AWI Publication no. 254     

A study of the sensitivity of bare soil evaporation schemes to soil surface wetness,using the coupled soil moisture and surface temperature prediction model,BARESOIL

Summary The performance of evaporation schemes with and approach and their combination within resistance representation of evaporation from bare soil surface is discussed. For this purpose nine schemes, based on different functions of or , on the ratio of the volumetric soil moisture content and its saturated value are used.The quality of the chosen schemes has been evaluated using the results of time integration by the coupled soil moisture and surface temperature prediction model, BARESOIL, using in situ data. A sensitivity analysis was made using two sets of data derived from the volumetric soil moisture content of the top soil layer. One with values below the wilting point (0.17 m³m^–3) and the second with values above 0.20m³m^–3. Data sets were obtained at the experimental site Rimski anevi, Yugoslavia, from the bare surface of a chernozem soil.With 4 Figures     

In-situ measurements of the aerosol size distributions,physicochemistry and light absorption properties of Arctic haze

Thermal and optical techniques were used at Barrow, Alaska during AGASP II (3/20/86–4/7/86) to measure in-situ variability of major aerosol components present in Arctic Haze. The experiment provided continuous data on the concentration, size distribution and relative proportions of sulfate species and refractory aerosol for particle diameters of 0.15 to 5 m. Filter samples were also taken for determination of aerosol optical absorption due to soot (EC-elemental carbon). Although pronounced haze events were absence during this period the haze aerosol present varied in concentration between 2 and 6 g/m³ but showed little change in relative constituents. Apart from local influences, the optical data indicated a persistent fine-mode sulfate aerosol with a NH₄ ⁺/SO₄ ^– molar ratio of about 0.4 and a refractory component of somewhat less than 10% by mass. A preliminary comparison of soot estimates determined from the light absorption data with the size distributions of refractory aerosol observed independently by the optical particle counter showed good agreement during the sample period. In the absence of local pollution, values of single scatter albedo derived from light scattering and light absorption showed similar variation about the average value of 0.86 found by us during flights north of Barrow three years earlier during AGASP I.     

Bioaccumulation of Cobalt in Parmelia sulcata

Six locations across mainland Portugal were selected for exposing Parmelia sulcata, for a one-year period (8 months for one site), with simultaneous measurement of total (dry + wet) deposition (one-month periods). The exposed lichens and the total (dry + wet) deposition were analysed for cobalt contents by INAA (instrumental neutron activation analysis) and ICP-MS (inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy), respectively. The designated wet deposition was evaluated through the collected water volume; the designated dry deposition was assessed after the (dried) residual mass of the wet deposition. An excellent agreement between Co contents in exposed lichens and the cumulative (1) Co contents in the dry deposition, (2) dry deposition, and (3) wet deposition has been found for the locations with alternate drought and precipitation months, high dry deposition, and high Co contents in the latter. Continuous rainfall was found to hinder the Co accumulation in the lichen due to its release from the lichen and/or lower Co contents in the dry deposition. At three locations, P. sulcata Co contents, after subtraction of the background (before exposure), equalled or exceeded the Co contents in the cumulative dry deposition at the end of the exposure time. The optimal exposure period for this species likely depends on the exposure conditions.     

Albedo changes — Surface surveillance from satellites

Natural changes in surface (and particularly land surface) albedo are described in terms of their impact upon climate. Emphasis is placed upon the importance of the regional or synoptic scale view of albedo change and upon a methodology of monitoring such variations using current satellite surveillance. A case study of the United Kingdom during the 1976 drought reveals the large scale changes in reflectivity that can occur during extreme events. It is possible that such surface changes could have caused positive feedback in the atmospheric circulation thus prolonging the drought conditions.     

Effect of land management on ecosystem carbon fluxes at a subalpine grassland site in the Swiss Alps

Summary The influence of agricultural management on the CO₂ budget of a typical subalpine grassland was investigated at the Swiss CARBOMONT site at Rigi-Seebodenalp (1025m a.s.l.) in Central Switzerland. Eddy covariance flux measurements obtained during the first growing season from the mid of spring until the first snow fall (17 Mai to 25 September 2002) are reported. With respect to the 10-year average 1992–2001, we found that this growing season had started 10 days earlier than normal, but was close to average temperature with above-normal precipitation (100–255% depending on month). Using a footprint model we found that a simple approach using wind direction sectors was adequate to classify our CO₂ fluxes as being controlled by either meadow or pasture. Two significantly different light response curves could be determined: one for periods with external interventions (grass cutting, cattle grazing) and the other for periods without external interventions. Other than this, meadow and pasture were similar, with a net carbon gain of –128±17g Cm^–2 on the undisturbed meadow, and a net carbon loss of 79±17g Cm^–2 on the managed meadow, and 270±24g Cm^–2 on the pasture during 131 days of the growing season, respectively. The grass cut in June reduced the gross CO₂ uptake of the meadow by 50±2% until regrowth of the vegetation. Cattle grazing reduced gross uptake over the whole vegetation period (37±2%), but left respiration at a similar level as observed in the meadow.     

Numerical Simulation of Strongly Stratified Flow Over a Three-Dimensional Hill

A numerical study of stably stratified flow over a three-dimensional hill is presented. Large-eddy simulation is used here to examine in detail the laboratory experimental flows described in the landmark work of Hunt and Snyder about stratified flow over a hill. The flow is linearly stratified and U/Nh is varied from 0.2 to 1.0. Here N and U are the buoyancy frequency and freestream velocity respectively, and h is the height of the hill. The Reynolds number based on the hill height is varied from 365 to 2968. The characteristic flow patterns at various values of U/Nh have been obtained and they are in good agreement with earlier theoretical and experimental results. It is shown that the flow field cannot be predicted by Drazin's theory when recirculation exists at the leeside of the hill even at UNh 1. The wake structure agrees well with a two-dimensional wake assumption when U/Nh 1 but lee waves start to influence the wake structure as U/Nh increases. The dividing-streamline heights obtained in the simulation are in accordance with experimental results and Sheppard's formula. The energy loss along the dividing streamline due to friction/turbulence approximately offsets the energy gained from pressure field. When lee waves are present, linear theory always underestimates the amplitude and overestimates the wavelength of three-dimensional lee waves. The simulated variations of drag coefficients with the parameterK (=ND/ U) are qualitatively consistent with experimental data and linear theory. Here D is the depth of the tank.     

Transport-Dissipation Analytical Solutions to the E-∈Turbulence Model and their Role in Predictions of the Neutral ABL

E- turbulence model predictions of the neutralatmospheric boundary layer (NABL) are reinvestigated to determine thecause for turbulence overpredictions found in previous applications. Analytical solutions to the coupled E and equations for the case of steady balance between transport and dissipation terms, the dominant balance just below the NABL top, are derived. It is found that analytical turbulence profiles laminarizeat a finite height only for values of closure parameter ratio c ₂ /_e equal toor slightly greater than one, with laminarization as z for greater . The point = 2 is additionally foundthat where analytical turbulent length scale (l) profilesmade a transition from ones ofdecreasing ( < 2) to increasing ( > 2)values with height. Numerically predicted profiles near the NABL topare consistent with analytical findings. The height-increasingvalues of l predicted throughout the NABL with standard values ofclosure parameters thus appear a consequence of 2.5(> 2), implied by these values (c ₂ = 1.92, _{= 1.3}, _{e = 1}). Comparison of numericalpredictions with DNS data shows that turbulence overpredictions obtained with standard-valued parameters are rectifiedby resetting and _e to 1.1 and 1.6, respectively, giving, with c ₂ = 1.92, 1.3, and laminarization of the NABL's cappingtransport-dissipation region at a finite height.     

Recurrence statistics of concentration fluctuations in plumes within a near-neutral atmospheric surface layer

This study examines the statistical properties of the concentration derivative, , for a dispersing plume in a near-neutrally stratified atmospheric surface layer. Towards this goal, the probability density function (pdf) of , and the conditional pdf of given a fixed concentration level, , have been measured. These pdfs are found to be modeled well by a generalizedq-Gaussian (gqG) distribution with intermittency exponent,q, equal to 0.3 and 3/4, respectively. These results highlight the strong intermittency effect (patchiness) of the small-scale concentration eddy structures in the plume. The distribution of time intervals between successive high peaks in the squared derivative process, x², is found to be well approximated by a power-law distribution, implying that occurrences of these high peaks are much more clustered than would be predicted by a Poisson or shot-noise process. The results are used to improve models for the joint pdf of and , and for the expected number of upcrossings per unit time interval of a fixed concentration level that have been proposed by Kristensenet al. (1989). The predictions of the improved models are in accord with observations, and suggest that the intercorrelation between and must be explicitly incorporated if good estimates of the upcrossing intensity are to be obtained.     

Gaseous and Particulate Oxidation Products Analysis of a Mixture of α-pinene + β-pinene/O3/Air in the Absence of Light and α-pinene + β-pinene/NOx/Air in the Presence of Natural Sunlight

The gas and particle phase reaction products of a mixture of the atmospherically important terpenes -pinene and -pinene with the atmospheric oxidants O₃ and OH/NO_x were investigated using both gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (GC-MS) and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) for identification and quantification of reaction products. The nighttime oxidation of a mixture of -pinene and -pinene in the presence of O₃/air, and the daytime oxidation of a mixture of -pinene + -pinene with NO_x air in the presence of natural sunlight were carried out in the University of North Carolina's large outdoor smog chamber (190 m³) located in Chatham County, North Carolina. Mass balances for gaseous and aerosol reaction products are reported over the course of the reaction. More than twenty-nine products were identified and/or quantified in this study. On average, measured gas and particle phase products accounted for 74 to 80% of the reacted -pinen/-pinene mixture carbon. Measurements show that a number of reaction products were found in both O₃ and NO_x system [pinonaldehyde, pinic acid, pinonic acid, pinalic-3-acid, 4-hydroxypinalic-3-acid, 4-oxonopinone, 1-hydroxy-nopinone, 3-hydroxy-nopinone, and nopinone]. Pinonic acid, pinic acid, pinalic-3-acid, 4-hydroxypinalic-3-acid, and 10-hydroxypinonic acid were observed in the early stage in the aerosol phase and may play an important role in the early formation of secondary aerosols.     

Numerical modeling of the nocturnal urban boundary layer

A numerical case study with a second-order turbulence closure model is proposed to study the role of urban canopy layer (UCL) for the formation of the nocturnal urban boundary layer (UBL). The turbulent diffusion coefficient was determined from an algebraic stress model. The concept of urban building surface area density is proposed to represent the UCL. Calculated results were also compared with field observation data. The height of the elevated inversion above an urban center was simulated and found to be approximately twice the average building height. The turbulent kinetic energy k, energy dissipation rate , and turbulence intensities u ² and w ² increase rapidly at the upwind edge of the urban area. The Reynolds stress uw displayed a nearly uniform profile inside the UBL, and the vertical sensible heat flux w had a negative value at the inversion base height. This indicates that the downward transport of sensible heat from the inversion base may play an important role in the formation of the nocturnal UBL.     

Radiation balance in a tropical city — Delhi (India)

The impact of urbanization is assessed by comparing values of the radiation parameters at an urban location with those of a rural site. Urban Delhi was divided according to land-use and the effects of urbanization was studied on incoming short-wave (K), albedo, incoming longwave (L, outgoing longwave (L), and net radiation (Q ^*), were individually studied at four representative sites (Rural, Commercial, Residential and Industrial). MaximumK was observed in the rural and commercial areas whereas highL was observed in the commercial and industrial locations. High depletion ofK of the order of 13% was observed for the industrial location in the winter season. An increase ofL in, the industrial location is of the same order as that of the commercial location, i.e. 20%. The residential location shows quite moderate (4.6%) depletion ofK in comparison with other sites.Nomenclature U Urban - R Rural - K Incoming Short-wave radiation - L Incoming Long-wave radiation - L Outgoing Long-wave radiation - Q ^* Net Radiation - Albedo - K ^* Net Short-wave radiation - L ^* Net Long-wave radiation     

Rainwater composition over a rural area with special emphasis on the size distribution of insoluble particulate matter

The rainwater composition in the vicinity of Mainz, FRG, has been investigated with special emphasis on insoluble constituents. The number size distribution was determined in the range from 0.1 m up to 100 m radius. For particles with r>0.5 m radius the shape of the size distribution of insoluble particles in rain follows the shape of the average urban and rural aerosol. In this particular size range no major size selective removal processes could be seen. For r<0.5 m the number size distribution tends to flatten compared to the average aerosol. This might be the indication of a size selective removal process (Greenfield Gap).     

Three-dimensional modeling of synthetic cold fronts interacting with northern Alpine foehn

Summary The effect of the Alpine orography on prototype cold fronts approaching from the west is investigated by three-dimensional numerical model simulations. The numerical experiments cover a range of parameter constellations which govern the prefrontal environment of the front. Especially, the appearance and intensity of prefrontal northern Alpine foehn varies from case to case.The behaviour of a cold front north of the Alps depends much on the prefrontal condition it encounters. It is found that prefrontal foehn can either accelerate or retard the approaching front.An important feature is the pressure depression along the northern Alpine rim that results from the southerly foehn flow. In cases where this depression compensates the eastward directed pressure gradient associated with the largescale flow, the front tends to accelerate and the foehn breaks down as soon as the front passes. In contrast, the foehn prevents the front from a rapid eastward propagation if it is connected with a strong southerly wind component.No-foehn experiments are performed for comparison, where either the mountains are removed, or the static stability is set to neutral. Also shown are effects of different crossfrontal temperature contrasts.List of Symbols c _F propagation speed of a front - x, y horizontal grid spacing (cartesian system) - , horizontal grid spacing (geographic system) - t time step - z vertical grid spacing (cartesian system) - cross-frontal potential temperature difference - _i potential temperature step at an inversion - E turbulent kinetic energy - f Coriolis parameter - FGP frontogenesis parameter (see section 2.2) - g gravity acceleration (g=9.81 m s^–2) - vertical gradient of potential temperature - h terrain elevation (above MSL) - h _i height of an inversion (h _i =1000 m MSL) - H height of model lid (H=9000 m MSL) - K _M exchange coefficient of momentum - K _H exchange coefficient of heat and moisture - longitude - N Brunt-Väisäla-frequency - p pressure - Exner function (=T/) - latitude - q _v specific humidity - R _d gas constant of dry air (R _d =287.06 J kg^–1 K^–1) - density of dry air - t time - T temperature - potential temperature - TFP thermal front parameter (see section 2.2) - u, v, w cartesian wind components - u _g ,v _g geostrophic wind components - horizontal wind vector - x, y, z cartesian coordinates Abbreviations GND (above) ground level - MSL (above) mean sea level - UTC universal time coordinated With 20 Figures     

Re-analysis of the nuclear winter phenomenon

Summary An analysis of the report of the (U.S.) National Academy of Sciences (NAS) on atmospheric effects of a nuclear exchange leads to conclusions that differ from those of the NAS and of the earlier TTAPS and AMBIO studies. Any cooling of the earth's surface is likely to beshort-lived because of rapid removal of the smoke clouds originating from nuclear burst-initiated fires, andminor because of appreciable green-house effects due to several distinct physical causes. (One of these, neglected in prior analyses, is the infrared absorption from cirrus clouds produced directly by the nuclear bursts.) Taken together, these effects may even induce slight surface warming (nuclear summer) instead of cooling (nuclear winter). The consequences to atmospheric ozone are similarly ambiguous; depending on the detailed nuclear scenario, the net ozone content may increase-rather than decrease as argued by TTAPS. Experiments could settle some uncertainties.With 2 Figures