Lower critical temperature under the influences of seasonal cold acclimatization due to the two types of clothing

Abstract

This paper studied the changes in the lower critical temperature under the influences of seasonal cold acclimatization due to the two types of clothing, one with the legs covered, the other with uncovered legs. The subjects in the skirt group always wore knee-length skirts during the daytime, while those in the trouser group dressed in full trousers during the identical period. After the 3 months acclimatization from September to November, the lower critical temperature and thermal physiological responses were compared between subjects wearing the two types of clothing during a gradual fall of ambient temperature from 24 to 10°C over 1 h. The results showed that the lower critical ambient temperature in December was 18.2°C in the skirt group and 22.8°C in the trouser group and critical mean body temperature in December was 34.40°C in the skirt group and 34.89°C in the trouser group. Internal conductance (W M −2 °C −1) in December was 12.39 in the skirt group and 13.27 in the trouser group, which might be responsible for the lower critical temperature in the skirt group.