Hot Summer Period Research Articles

Observed determinants of urban outdoor thermal exposure during hot summer and snowy winter periods in a humid continental climate

Many cities in the midlatitudes experience both extreme heat and cold, and pedestrians are exposed to thermal extremes that cause bodily stress. With growing urban populations, city design that contributes to mitigating summer heat while reducing winter cold exposure is increasingly important. Pedestrian thermal exposure depends on several microclimatic factors, including shortwave and longwave radiation absorption, which can be quantified by the mean radiant temperature (Tmrt). Limited research has been conducted on the radiative components of thermal exposure in hot, humid summers and cold, snowy winters. We gathered micrometeorological data from diverse urban sites and in multiple seasons in Guelph, Canada, using a mobile human-biometeorological weather station (MaRTy cart) that applies the six-directional method to determine Tmrt. Seasonal datasets were analysed and compared to examine the drivers of thermal exposure and recommend strategies for mitigating heat and cold stress. In summer, shade is the primary factor that reduces daytime heat exposure and it slightly increases nighttime heat exposure. Enhanced pervious ground cover is a secondary factor day and night. In winter, reduced shade alleviated daytime cold exposure, while snow cover provided daytime benefits from increased solar reflections and post-sunset penalties associated with reduced longwave radiation from low snow surface temperatures.

Increasing the productivity and quality of cucumber crop by improving the performance of the evaporative cooling system

Evaporative cooling in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia is one of the most important cooling systems used inside greenhouses to obtain an acceptable temperature change in hot, dry climates. It is considered insufficient during very hot summer periods, when temperatures outside the greenhouse reach approximately 48 °C, which affects the efficiency of cooling, and thus, creates stress on the plants, leading to wilting and a decrease in the production rate. The cooling system is developed by making an insulated rectangular tunnel. The air comes out through vertical openings directly to the plants. The results of evaluating plant heat stress in the developed cooling system (DCS) showed an increase in the values of the photosynthesis rate, transpiration rate, carbon dioxide exchange, and stomatal conductance. The plants also appeared well in terms of the shape of the leaves, their freshness, the abundance of flowers, and the large size of the fruits, while in the traditional cooling system (TCS) the plants exhibited some wilting and some brown spots. The hectare yield reached 42.49 ton/ha for the DCS system, while it reached 37.53 ton/ha for the TCS with an increasing rate of 13.22 %. The total weight of fruits harvested within 60 days of cultivation was 4.25 kg/m2 for the DCS and 3.75 kg/m2 for the TCS. The dry and fresh weight of fruit, stem, and leaves, total dissolved solids, vitamin C, chlorophyll percentage in leaves, and total plant acidity, were higher in DCS compared to the TCS.

Co-cooling, simulation-based exploration of a new method to measure the heat transfer coefficient of a building envelope in hot climate and summer period

ABSTRACT The discrepancy between designed and as-built building performance can be quantified by a heat transfer coefficient (HTC) measurement. A reference method for measuring this coefficient is the co-heating test. However, the use of this method is limited to certain weather conditions. This work proposes a new method, complementary to the co-heating test, to be performed in summer or in hot climates, called the co-cooling test. This method consists in cooling the building instead of heating it. This article presents a numerical setup to prove the feasibility of the co-cooling test, determining ad-hoc linear regression models. To better account for solar gains, an equivalent outdoor temperature is used. In the cases studied, the simple linear regression method using an equivalent outdoor temperature enables the HTC to be determined with errors below 10%.

Thermal Tolerance and Vulnerability to Climate Change of a Threatened Freshwater Mussel

Freshwater pearl mussels (FPMs, Margaritifera margaritifera, Linnaeus, 1758) are endangered and particularly vulnerable to climate change. To create effective conservation strategies, we studied their thermal tolerance and the impact of elevated water temperatures on growth and survival. Our experiments included field mesocosm studies in five FPM-streams in the Vogtland region (Germany) (2016 to 2020), as well as laboratory experiments at temperatures ranging from 1 to 26 °C. Growth of juvenile FPMs increased significantly within a temperature gradient from 12 to 21 °C. In the streams, maximum growth was 8.9 µm/d in surface water and 6.5 µm/d in the interstitial. The upper thermal tolerance for the mussels ranged from 22.1 to 22.9 °C, resulting in low survival during hot summer periods in 2018 and 2019. Warming during winter (+5 °C) did not significantly affect growth and survival, but survival during winter increased with the pre-overwintering shell length. Exceeding a shell length of about 1100 µm in December indicating gill development corelated to 50% survival. Shell length in December is primarily controlled by growth depending on water temperatures during summer. These findings define the thermal niche of juvenile FPMs (average summer temperatures of 14.5–21 °C) and have implications for water management, conservation strategies, and site selection for releasing captive-breeding mussels.

A Large-Diameter Earth–Air Heat Exchanger (EAHX) Built for Standalone Office Room Cooling: Monitoring Results for Hot and Dry Summer Conditions

Earth–air heat exchangers (EAHX) use the soil thermal capacity to dampen the amplitude of outdoor air temperature oscillations. This effect can be used in hot and dry climates for room cooling, and depending on the EAHX design, this cooling can be achieved with very few resources other than those used during EAHX construction. This is an obvious advantage compared to the significant energy consumption and operational costs of refrigeration machines traditionally used in room cooling. Despite the large number of papers on EAHXs available in the scientific literature, very few deal with large-diameter EAHXs (with pipe diameters larger than 0.30 m), and even fewer present monitoring data gathered from a built and functional large-diameter EAHX. The present paper uses monitoring data and provides a detailed quantitative analysis of the performance of a large-diameter EAHX built for standalone cooling of an existing office building. The field monitoring was carried out during a characteristic hot and dry summer period of the south of Portugal. Results show that outdoor air to EAHX exit air temperature gradients reach 9 K and cooling capacities exceed 27 kW. Moreover, the studied EAHX is capable of standalone cooling for outdoor air temperatures up to 33 °C and meets more than 50% of the room design cooling demand for outdoor air temperatures as high as 37 °C. This evidences that large-diameter EAHXs have the potential to achieve significant reductions in CO2 emissions and in energy consumption associated with building cooling in hot and dry climates.

Condenser Retrofit in Leibstadt Nuclear Power Plant (BWR) - Far Beyond a Standard Modular Solution

Abstract The Leibstadt nuclear power plant (KKL) in Switzerland was originally commissioned in 1984 with a nominal power output of 1000 MWel. Since then, there have been several uprates of the boiling water reactor (BWR) which have increased the power to 1275 MWel. After the nearly four decades of operation, the original condenser was impacted by advanced erosion corrosion and by progressive performance deterioration. In addition, the thermal power uprates required load reduction during hot summer periods to avoid high condenser back pressure. Consequently, KKL asked GE to carry out a comprehensive retrofit study to identify potential improvements on both lifetime and performance. These included: robust material selection, optimized extraction of non-condensable gases by means of a bespoke air cooler section of the condenser and applying GE Steam Power's latest innovative tube pattern design which is aligned to BWR requirements. However, site constraints prevented a typical modular condenser retrofit. Hence, working in a close cooperation between KKL and GE Steam Power, a customized retrofit concept was developed which used semi-prefabricated skeletal modules and an on-site rebuild of the condenser. In total, approximately 475 tons of old condenser material were dismantled, 24 new semi-prefabricated skeletal modules were installed, a condenser with 51'600 tubes was rebuilt on-site and 8 waterboxes were replaced with an improved design made of stainless steel. More than 350 professionals contributed to the successful retrofit with an overall site effort of 270'000 working hours - increasing the power output to 1285 MWel.

Air-conditioning usage behaviour of the elderly in caring home during the extremely hot summer period: An evidence in Chongqing

Using air conditioners to cool down the indoor thermal environment is necessary to avoid the elderly exposing themselves to hot conditions in extreme weather. Considering the frequency occurrence of heatwave events, this study investigated air-conditioner operation behaviours and indoor thermal condition features during extremely hot summer periods to understand the elderly's thermal demand and their behaviour patterns of using air conditioners. Fifteen elderly residents from a caring home in Chongqing were recruited, and their air-conditioners’ historical operation data and indoor and outdoor temperatures were continuously measured and retrieved from the air-conditioner manufacturing data warehouse. The results indicate that the elderly subjects were active in adjusting their air-conditioner settings with multiple daily actions of turning-on and setpoint-changing behaviours in the extremely hot summer period. The air-conditioner temperature setpoint preferred by the elderly subjects was between 27 °C and 30 °C, resulting in the indoor temperature mainly remaining in the range between 28 °C and 32 °C, which presented a negative relationship with the outdoor temperature. The elderly's daily air-conditioner operation in the extremely hot summer period can be clustered into four groups, including inactive-usage, afternoon-usage, night-usage and all-day-usage groups. The inactive usage group with short-term and discrete air-conditioner operation would prefer a fast-cooling setting, whereas the all-day usage group showed a higher setpoint-change frequency, indicating the dynamic cooling demand may exist in the elderly's long-term air-conditioner daily usage.

Soil Erosion in Extensive versus Intensive Land Uses in Areas Sensitive to Desertification: A Case Study in Beira Baixa, Portugal

The occurrence of long periods of drought followed by extreme episodes of rainfall and ineffective soil conservation practices are the main causes of soil erosion in the Mediterranean region. The objective of this paper is to assess and compare the hydrological and erosional responses related to land use changes in agricultural landscapes that are sensitive to erosion and that are a result of the significant replacement of traditional land uses. Such changes are characterized by the replacement of extensive olive groves associated with pastureland by intensive almond production, where deep plowing and heavy machinery are required. In each sampling site, runoff initiation, runoff coefficient, and soil loss were evaluated under simulated rainfall (55 mm h−1), at plot scale (0.25 m2), at the end of the hot and dry summer period. Slope gradient, soil texture, bulk density, soil organic matter content, soil water content, and plant cover were also determined. The results showed the impact of recently planted intensive almond orchards (IAOs) on accelerating soil erosion risk compared with the extensive traditional olive groves (EOGs), although runoff initiation and discharge are very similar between the studied land uses. The mean values recorded for soil loss and sediment concentration were 118 g m−2 h−1 and 12 g m−2 h−1 and 3.1 g L−1 and 0.7 g L−1, respectively, for IAOs and EOGs. Our results also demonstrated that maintaining a vegetation cover is a determining factor for the prevention and control of soil erosion, especially in IAOs, where retaining high percentages of natural plant-residue mulch layers (>70%) reduced soil loss by about 70% in this study.

Field evaluation of low-cost electrochemical air quality gas sensors under extreme temperature and relative humidity conditions

Abstract. Modern electrochemical gas sensors hold great potential for improving practices in air quality (AQ) monitoring as their low cost, ease of operation and compact design can enable dense observational networks and mobile measurements. Despite that, however, numerous studies have shown that the performance of these sensors depends on a number of factors (e.g. environmental conditions, sensor quality, maintenance and calibration), thereby adding significant uncertainties in the reported measurements and large discrepancies from those recorded by reference-grade instruments. In this work we investigate the performance of electrochemical sensors, provided by two manufacturers (namely Alphasense and Winsen), for measuring the concentrations of CO, NO2, O3 and SO2. To achieve that we carried out collocated yearlong measurements with reference-grade instruments at a traffic AQ monitoring station in Nicosia, Cyprus, where temperatures ranged from ca. 0 ∘C in the winter to almost 45 ∘C in the summer. The CO sensors exhibit the best performance among all the ones we tested, having minimal mean relative error (MRE) compared to reference instruments (ca. −5 %), although a significant difference in their response was observed before and after the summer period. At the other end of the spectrum, the SO2 sensors reported concentration values that were at least 1 order of magnitude higher than the respective reference measurements (with MREs being more than 1000 % for Alphasense and almost 400 % for Winsen throughout the entire measurement period), which can be justified by the fact that the concentrations of SO2 at our measuring site were below their limit of detection. In general, variabilities in the environmental conditions (i.e. temperature and relative humidity) appear to significantly affect the performance of the sensors. When compared with reference instruments, the CO and NO2 electrochemical sensors provide measurements that exhibit increasing errors and decreasing correlations as temperature increases (from below 10 to above 30 ∘C) and RH decreases (from >75 % to below 30 %). Interestingly, the performance of the sensors was affected irreversibly during the hot summer period, exhibiting different responses before and after that, resulting in a signal deterioration that was more than twice that reported by the manufacturers. With the exception of the Alphasense NO2 sensor, all low-cost sensors (LCSs) exhibited measurement uncertainties that were much higher, even at the beginning of our measurement period, compared to those required for qualifying the sensors for indicative air quality measurements according to the respective European Commission (EC) Directive. Overall, our results show that the response of all LCSs is strongly affected by the environmental conditions, warranting further investigations on how they are manufactured, calibrated and employed in the field.

Bioclimatic zoning as a prerequisite for architectural and structural design, urban and area-wide planning

Introduction. Factors of nature and climate were analyzed using bioclimatic criteria of environmental assessments made in within the framework of urban planning during warm seasons. Territories of republics, located in Central Asia and southern Kazakhstan, were considered as southern specimen areas; they have both plain and complex mountainous terrains, and their climatic and bioclimatic conditions make them similar to equatorial countries. The author chose a method for assessing bioclimatic indices; they take into account the response of the thermal status of a person to the environment, which is a rele­vant task of architectural and structural design and area-wide planning in southern countries with hot climates.
 Materials and methods. This research project is based on a comprehensive methodology for studying, analyzing and summarizing meteorological factors, provided by local meteorological stations, and reference data from the leading research institutes of hydrometeorology. These data are further processed by the software package to identify specific small and large microclimatic and bioclimatic differences between large areas. The methodology also determines the degree of comfort of a thermal state of a person in urban bioclimatology.
 Results. A new area of research was identified to study the response of the thermal state of a person to the environment: the bio-climatological assessment of environments. Bioclimatic zoning of republics in Central Asia and southern Kazakhstan was performed to classify the bioclimatic conditions in these environments according to their livability, taking into account values of meteorological indices during warm seasons. Bioclimatic differences between territories, cities, and excerpts from area development documents were identified for the purpose of bioclimatic zoning and division into districts. Maps of districts were designed to make bioclimatic forecasts of territories for the purpose of architectural and structural design, as well as urban planning.
 Conclusions. The research is relevant for territories and cities with hot climates. Methodological fundamentals of bioclimatic zoning in Central Asia and southern Kazakhstan, coupled with classified bio-meteorological indices, will serve as a prere­quisite for purposeful and rational use of territories in the region; they will allow evaluating its recreational potential and planning the construction of residential complexes, public and industrial buildings and structures that ensure maximum comfort and convenience at minimum costs. The classification of bioclimates is presented; it is based on thermal characteristics of climates as well as responses from the human thermoregulatory system during excessively hot summer periods. These responses are needed to characterize the thermal state of a person during periods of greatest heat stresses and radiation loads.

Tree-ring-based seasonal temperature reconstructions and ecological implications of recent warming on oak forest health in the Zagros Mountains, Iran

Abrupt changes in temperature have especially strong impacts on fragile ecosystems located in semi-arid regions. In this study, we analyzed tree-ring widths (TRW) of Mediterranean cypress (Cupressus sempervirens var. horizontalis) in the Zagros Mountains, Iran. Furthermore, we separately measured earlywood width (EWW) and latewood width (LWW) of Persian oak (Quercus brantii Lindl.) to examine if intra-annual resolution of tree-ring parameters of Q. brantii tree rings can be used as high-resolution paleoclimate proxies. Climate-growth relationships revealed that mean monthly maximum temperatures (Tmax) are a dominant factor determining radial tree growth and negatively affect both oak and cypress in the Zagros Mountains. Accordingly, we reconstructed two different seasonal windows of past Tmax variability, namely, January–March and June–August over the periods 1860–2015 and 1560–2015, respectively. Regime shift detection identified twelve warm and nine cold significant regime shifts in our summer Tmax reconstructions. The longest hot summer period occurred in the twentieth century, and two warm regime shifts occurred in 1999 and 2008. The highest values of the warm summer regime shift index occurred in 2008, which coincided with fungal pathogen attacks and insect outbreak of the oak leaf roller moth (Tortrix viridana L.) in the Zagros oak woodlands. Interestingly, we found common warm and cold periods in historic climate variability between the summer and winter Tmax reconstructions. Warm and cold regime shifts occurred simultaneously from 1955 to 2015, and significant regional warm summer and winter regime shifts have occurred between 2008 and 2015. The winter and summer Tmax reconstructions show high spatial correlations with large areas in West Asia, North Africa, and the eastern Mediterranean region. Our results strengthen initial studies on past climate variability in Iran and contribute to an enhanced understanding of past temperature variability in West Asia.

An Investigation on Using Passive Cooling Roofs Techniques for Improving Climatic Performance of Residential Buildings in Hot Arid Regions based on Post-Occupancy Evaluation of Inhabitants’ Thermal Comfort Appreciations

In hot dry climates, employing passive cooling roofs systems can provide cooling needs with less amount of electrical energy. Furthermore, when focusing on living spaces in terms of indoor thermal comfort and energy performance issues, occupant’s interaction with the building should not be underestimated. Recent studies with occupant-based focus have shown that human behaviour significantly impacts energy consumption, even more than building design. Likewise, understanding occupant’s interactions within buildings plays a key role in enhancing the indoor environment performance. To examine the potential for cooling load reduction and thermal comfort enhancement by using cool roofs in residential buildings, a study was performed. Considering a sample of twelve multi-story houses located in the city of Biskra (southern Algeria), thermal comfort conditions were analysed on the basis of a post-occupancy evaluation (POE) survey and in situ recorded measurements campaign. The POE household survey indicated that out of 43 respondents, 54% perceive indoor thermal conditions as “hot” during summer period, while 79.33% of them operate HVAC device day and night. Using interviews, the study also explores social acceptability toward implementing passive roofing techniques. Results showed that cool roof and cool tiles were the best accepted systems with 100% and 90% voted strongly agree. Furthermore, the potential of thermal comfort and energy-efficiency improvements due to cool roofs was investigated through a dynamic simulation using TRNSYS software. Results indicated that air temperature was reduced by an average of 4.11°C to 3.28°C, and cooling loads have decreased to 508.60kWh/m² and 384.54kWh/m² respectively during the hottest period of summer. Therefore, user-centric satisfaction as a research method would enhance future buildings design.

Severe feather deformation in greater white-fronted goose (Anser alb. albifrons) goslings during hot summer period on Kolguev Island 2016.

In summer 2016, we observed premature feather malformation among goslings of greater white-fronted goose (Anser alb. albifrons), between 7 and 10 weeks of age on family gathering areas on Kolguev Island, Russia, the most important breeding island in the Western Palearctic. Rarely reported in wild birds, to our knowledge, this phenomenon has not been recorded in wild geese of this species, despite continuous ringing and marking of thousands of wild geese across Northern Europe and Arctic Siberia. This feather malformations were documented in 36 unfledged goslings showing weak feather basis, deformed or unevenly grown wing feathers or even dead feather buds. Approximately about one-third of all chicks were affected. Feather malformations like this, causing flightless chicks as a result, have never been noticed in any other of our 12 study years since 2006. The lesion was characterised by soft feather buds, weak or incomplete wing feathers and lack of feather development. No other abnormalities were observed in the goslings, so goslings did not differ in weight or body sizes. Affected fledglings never became airworthy and were killed in large numbers by predators or at latest perished during the Arctic winter. Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s10344-022-01603-9.

Parametric optimization of multifunctional integrated climate-responsive opaque and ventilated façades using CFD simulations

The design and application of dynamic façades have gained attention in recent years as new high-performance building façade alternatives. In this study, the optimization of a novel opaque dynamic façade, the MICRO-V (Multifunctional Integrated Climate-responsive Opaque and Ventilated) façade, is investigated. This façade is comprised of different components to regulate the flow of heat, air, and moisture into buildings dynamically with daily and seasonal responses using an integrated ventilation module, phase change materials (PCM), and an adjustable insulation system. This façade acts as a decentralized ventilation system, in which the fresh air is pre-conditioned using the thermal energy storage provided by the PCMs, and the heat recovery inside the ventilation module. The aim of this paper is to optimize the conceptual façade design using parametric simulations by quantifying the performance of the MICRO-V facade. Multiple parameters, among which the geometry, the material properties, and the airspeed were tested. CFD simulations were performed in both the heating and the cooling seasons in a continental climate (Toronto, Canada). The pre-conditioning efficiency of fresh air in the façade was 73% in the summer week and 65% in the winter week. Including the PCMs to condition the air resulted in an average increase of air temperature in the winter by 3 °C, through solar gain storage, and helped to reduce the extreme temperature by 5 °C on extremely hot summer periods. The study showed the thermal resistance in the façade could be increased and decreased as a function of airflow in the façade, which is a potential way to control the overall heat gain and heat loss through the façade annually. The façade-scale simulations showed the necessity of this type of analysis prior to whole-building simulations to accurately represent the façade’s performance.

Население мелких млекопитающих подтайги Южного Зауралья

On the basis of materials obtained using two generally accepted counting methods, data on the species composition of small mammals, the ratio of background and dominant species, the total abundance in the main groups of biotopes of the South Trans-Ural region are presented. The differences in the community structure of small mammals in the subtaiga and forest-steppe sub-zone of the South Trans-Ural region have been analysed. The paper discusses materials on the community of small mammals in the sub-taiga of the South Trans-Ural region. A brief history of the study of this group of animals is reviewed. The use of two counting methods (the ditch with pitfalls and trap-lines) allowed the most complete identification of the species composition of insectivores and rodents in the sub-taiga of the South Trans-Ural region in 2021. In terms of species, the ditch with pitfalls were more effective, with 17 species identified; trap-lines counted 13 species. The abundance of animals in 2021 was very low. In our opinion, was determined by the abnormally hot spring and summer period. On average, only rare and very rare species have been recorded in the snap-trap counts in the study area. Numerous species were absent in the average meaning regardless of the method of capture. The core of small mammals of the sub-taiga of the South Trans-Ural region consisted of species typical of humid habitats and small-leaved forests, such as the Laxmann's shrew Sorex caecutiens, common shrew S. araneus and Eurasian pygmy shrew S. minutus rodents, as well as the common vole Microtus arvalis and harvest mouse Micromys minutus (surveys using the ditch with pitfalls). The common shrew was predominant in the snap-trap counts, accounting for about 45% of the total abundance of all animals recorded. In pine forests with poor productivity and in open spaces, the total abundance of insectivores and rodents is lowest. The species composition of small mammals of the sub-taiga and forest-steppe subzone of the South Trans-Ural region are largely similar (83% of the total species). Specific features of the taiga subzone were determined by the taiga shrew Sorex isodon and Siberian chipmunk Eutamias sibiricus, unusual for the forest-steppe and herb-bunchgrass steppe subzone of the South Trans-Ural region. A characteristic feature of the sub-taiga of the South Trans-Ural region is a specific proportion of the northern red-backed vole Myodes rutilus and European bank vole M. glareolus, their abundance is comparable, or the M. glareolus predominates, which is not observed in the forest-steppe. In the sub-taiga, in the surveys using ditch with pitfalls among insectivores and rodents, the Laxmann's shrew prevailed, its share was approximately one fourth of all recorded animals, although in general the community of small mammals is polydominant, in contrast to the surveys using the trap-line method, where one species dominated – the common shrew. In 2021 (sub-taiga) as well as in 2020 (forest-steppe) the territory of the South TransUral region was characterized by a deep depression of water vole Arvicola amphibius numbers, which was completely absent in the counts.

A Quantitative Morphological Method for Mapping Local Climate Types

Morphological characteristics of cities significantly influence urban heat island intensities and thermal responses to heat waves. Form attributes such as density, compactness, and vegetation cover are commonly used to analyse the impact of urban morphology on overheating processes. However, the use of abstract large-scale classifications hinders a full understanding of the thermal trade-off between single buildings and their immediate surrounding microclimate. Without analytical tools able to capture the complexity of cities with a high resolution, the microspatial dimension of urban climate phenomena cannot be properly addressed. Therefore, this study develops a new method for numerical identification of types, based on geometrical characteristics of buildings and climate-related form attributes of their surroundings in a 25m and 50m radius. The method, applied to the city of Rotterdam, combines quantitative descriptors of urban form, mapping GIS procedures, and clustering techniques. The resulting typo-morphological classification is assessed by modelling temperature, wind, and humidity during a hot summer period, in ENVI-met. Significant correlations are found between the morphotypes’ characteristics and local climate phenomena, highlighting the differences in performative potential between the classified urban patterns. The study suggests that the method can be used to provide insight into the systemic relations between buildings, their context, and the risk of overheating in different urban settings. Finally, the study highlights the relevance of advanced mapping and modelling tools to inform spatial planning and mitigation strategies to reduce the risk of urban overheating.

Evaluation of soil properties in variously aged Scots pine plantations established on sandy soil

Abstract Pines are widely planted for sand dune stabilization and their cultivation results in the changes in physical, chemical, hydro-physical and water repellency properties. Soil properties were evaluated at three Scots pine plantations (PF1, PF2 and PF3) close to Studienka village, Borská nížina lowland (southwestern Slovakia) during hot and dry summer period. The PF1 site is a newly established plantation, the PF2 site is about 30 years old plantation, and the PF3 site is about 100 years old plantation. Here, we estimated the differences in pH, soil organic carbon content, Cox, particle size distribution, PSD, saturated, ks, and unsaturated, k(–2 cm), hydraulic conductivity, water, Sw , and ethanol, Se , sorptivity, water drop penetration time, WDPT, and repellency index, RI. It was found that Cox varies most significantly with plantation age, and relative differences in PSD and pH were lower than the relative difference in Cox. The PF3 site differs the most from the other two, especially in Cox and in the content of sand fraction. It can be attributed to the older age of the plantation, which represents a more advanced stage of succession accompanied by an accumulation of soil organic matter. Relationships between Cox, k(–2 cm), RI, and WDPT and pine forest age were described by appropriate mathematical models. We found a similarity between k(–2 cm) and RI relationships vs. pine forest age (exponential models), and between Cox and WDPT relationships vs. pine forest age (first and second-order polynomial models). The latter similarity can be supported by the fact that soil water repellency is induced by the hydrophobic and amphiphilic components of soil organic matter.

Analyses of land surface temperature (LST) variability among local climate zones (LCZs) comparing Landsat-8 and ENVI-met model data

The acceleration of urbanization has caused the urban heat island (UHI) phenomenon because it has changed the built and natural structure. In recent years, the common concept of a local climate zone (LCZ) has become the top priority for UHI studies for eliminating the lack of standardization. This paper presents the statistical relation between LCZ and land surface temperature (LST) for the hot and arid summer period in Adana City of Turkey. It combines vector-based analysis to map LCZ classes and raster-based research to obtain LST derived from a Landsat-8 and ENVI-met 4.3.0 microclimate model. Firstly, LCZs were classified using five parameters including building height, building surface fraction, aspect ratio, pervious and impervious surface fraction. Secondly, the mean LST for each LCZ was obtained from Landsat-8 and ENVI-met. Finally, the statistical significance of temperature differences of each LCZ was analysed by pairwise comparisons using the ANOVA Tukey-HSD test. The results show that built types had generally warmer LSTs than land cover types. LST difference was 0.5–1.0 °C in built types, while it was 1.0–2.0 °C in land cover types in Landsat 8. On the other hand, the differences of LST range from 1.5 to 3.0 °C for built types, and 3.0–8.0 °C for land cover types in ENVI-met. Subsequent post-hoc tests demonstrated that the mean LSTs obtained from Landsat-8 and ENVI-met exhibited statistically significant differences (p < 0.05). Moreover, the ENVI-met data had more obvious relationships with the LCZ-LST statistical results when compared with the Landsat-8 results. This study’s results will act as a guide for urban planners and future researchers to maintain a standardized UHI and ensure sustainable development, and have approved the current LCZ classification.

High-Temperature Semi-Dry and Sweet Low Alcohol Wine-Making Using Immobilized Kefir Culture

Low alcohol wines (≤10.5% vol) represent novel wine products steadily gaining the commercial market interest. Considering the technological advancements of immobilized systems in association with the drastic reduction of industrial operational costs in high-temperature wine-making in regions with tropical climate or hot summer periods, the aim of the present study was to assess the fermentation efficiency of both wet and freeze-dried immobilized kefir culture on natural supports in low alcohol wine production at high temperatures (&gt;30 °C). Immobilized kefir culture was evaluated and compared to free cells in repeated batch fermentations for 3 months, indicating high operational stability, and found suitable for simultaneous alcoholic and malolactic low alcohol wine fermentation at temperatures up to 45 °C. High ethanol productivity [up to 55.3 g/(Ld)] and malic acid conversion rates (up to 71.6%), which could be adopted by the industrial sector, were recorded. Principal Component Analysis (PCA) revealed that the state of the cells rather than the nature of kefir culture affected significantly the content of minor volatiles determined by Head Space Solid-Phase Microextraction (HS-SPME) Gas Chromatography–Mass Spectrometry (GC/MS) analysis. Notably, all new products were of high quality and approved by the sensory panel. The results suggested a high industrial potential of the proposed technology in semi-dry low alcohol wine-making at 37 °C and in developing novel wine products with a sweet (liquoreux) character at 45 °C.

Thermal stability study of fiber-reinforced cementitious composites with high ductility under high-temperature casting

To realize the global applications of fiber-reinforced cementitious material with high ductility, it is necessary to study its thermal stability considering hot, arid environments, such as the hot desert climate and summer periods. In this study, the performance of a fiber-reinforced cementitious material with high ductility that was cast and cured at 60 °C was investigated. In addition to the mechanical properties, several microanalysis techniques were applied. The results showed that after exposure at 60 °C, the pores in the specimen coarsened. The apparent density decreased, while the mechanical properties were enhanced, especially the tensile strength. The tensile strain capacity was found to be lower than that at 20 ± 2 °C; however, it was still significantly higher than that of normal concrete and exhibited multiple cracking and strain-hardening behavior. Results obtained in this study reveal promising applications for these composites in hot, arid regions, considering their long-term mechanical properties.