Skin Temperature and Body Surface Section in Non-Uniform and Asymmetric Outdoor Thermal Environment

Abstract

In indoor environments and shady outdoor environments, there is little influence of short-wavelength solar radiation, so a strikingly non-uniform and asymmetric environment is not formed. In outdoor sunny environment, however, shaded areas occur even for the same site of the body, and a remarkable difference in skin temperature is considered to occur under the influence of the short-wavelength solar radiation. The purpose of this study is to clarify the influence of the non-uniform and asymmetric thermal radiation of short-wavelength solar radiation in outdoor environment on the division of the body surface section and the calculation of the mean skin temperature. The skin temperature of the front of the coronal surface, which was facing the sun and where the body received direct short-wavelength solar radiation, and the skin temperature of the rear of the coronal surface, which was in the shadow and did not receive direct short-wavelength solar radiation were respectively measured. The feet, upper arm, forearm, hand and lower leg, which are susceptible to short-wavelength solar radiation in a standing posture, had a noticeable difference in skin temperature between sites in the sun and in shade. The mean skin temperature of sites facing the sun was significantly higher than the mean skin temperature of those in the shade.