The stimuli of thermal environment defined according to UTCI in Poland

Magdalena Kuchcik,Krzysztof Błażejczyk,Agnieszka Halaś

doi:10.7163/gpol.0200

Abstract

The assessment of thermal stress stimuli in Poland was based on the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI). Daily values of UTCI at 24 stations selected to represent the whole area of Poland at 12:00 UTC were calculated over the period 1951-2018. Various UTCI characteristics, i.e., spatial averages of daily, monthly and annual values, daily spatial contrasts (i.e., the difference between daily highest and lowest UTCI values) were defined in each of 8 bioclimatic regions of Poland. Ten-year trends for UTCI and spatial contrast values were counted and their statistical significance was analysed. A statistically significant increase in UTCI values was found in all the regions of Poland. However, contrasts in thermal stress both for Poland as a whole and in most of the regions decreased significantly, especially in the north-east of Poland, the country’s coldest region. This indicates a reduction in the stimuli of thermal environment in Poland and in most of the individual regions.

Highlights

The human organism is constantly affected by stimuli from all of the atmospheric environment, comprising both the basic meteorological elements, and air composition, its ionisation, intensity of electromagnetic fields, noise, vibration, smell, as well as living organisms in the air (WMO, 1999)
The assessment of thermal stress stimuli in Poland was based on the Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI)
High UTCImin values were noted in northwestern Poland and in the central upland region (Kielce, Katowice)

Summary

Introduction

The human organism is constantly affected by stimuli from all of the atmospheric environment, comprising both the basic meteorological elements (solar radiation, air temperature and humidity, atmospheric pressure, air movement, and precipitation), and air composition (gaseous and particulate), its ionisation, intensity of electromagnetic fields, noise, vibration, smell, as well as living organisms in the air (aeroplankton) (WMO, 1999). These elements are customarily classed into three groups: physical, biological and chemical stimuli.

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