Abstract
In this study, the effects of an urban thermal environment on air quality were investigated using hourly surface weather observation data and air quality data over six summers from 2000 to 2005 in two cities on the Korean Peninsula. One, the city of Daegu, is representative of basin topography and the other, the city of Busan, represents a coastal area. It is known that the characteristics of an urban thermal environment are represented as an "urban heat island". Here, we focus on the nighttime urban thermal environment, which is called a "tropical night", during the summer. On tropical nights in Busan, the temperature and cloud cover levels were higher than on non-tropical nights. Wind speed did not appear to make a difference even on a tropical night. However, the frequency of southwestern winds from the sea was higher during tropical nights. The prevailing southwest winds in all areas meant an inflow of air from the sea. So at most of the air quality stations, the ozone concentration during tropical nights was lower than during non-tropical nights. In Daegu, the tropical nights had higher temperatures and cloud covers. Despite these higher temperatures, the ozone concentration during the tropical nights was lower than that on non-tropical nights at most of the air quality stations. This feature was caused by low irradiance, which in turn caused an increased cloud cover. Wind speed was stronger during the tropical nights and dispersed the air pollutants. These meteorological characteristics of the tropical nights reduced ozone concentrations in the Daegu Basin.
Highlights
IntroductionUrban thermal environments have worsened. On days when the air temperature exceedsC, sultry nights and heat strokes increase, due to changes in terrestrial cover and higher anthropogenic heat emissions from urbanization (MEJ, 2000)
In recent years, urban thermal environments have worsened
The objectives of this study are to understand the meteorological characteristics of tropical nights and to investigate the effect of urban thermal environment on air quality
Summary
Urban thermal environments have worsened. On days when the air temperature exceedsC, sultry nights and heat strokes increase, due to changes in terrestrial cover and higher anthropogenic heat emissions from urbanization (MEJ, 2000). On days when the air temperature exceeds. C, sultry nights and heat strokes increase, due to changes in terrestrial cover and higher anthropogenic heat emissions from urbanization (MEJ, 2000). Extreme temperatures threaten people’s well-being in a surprising number of ways. Approximately 175 to 200 deaths are attributed to heat waves and most of these deaths occur in cities (Steave and Jone, 2003). Monton et al (2001) showed a significant increase in hot days and warm nights and a decrease in cool days and cold nights across Southeast Asia and the South Pacific region since 1961. In Korea, the overall temperature increase is not as serious as above, but because of rapid urbanization and industrialization warm nights have significantly increased. A warm summer night is a “tropical night”
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