Urban Suburban Areas Research Articles

Spatiotemporal Heterogeneous Responses of Ecosystem Services to Landscape Patterns in Urban–Suburban Areas

With the acceleration of urbanization, the ecosystem around cities is facing severe challenges. The drastic changes in the landscape pattern, especially in urban–suburban areas, are usually regarded as one of the main drivers. However, the spatiotemporal heterogeneous impacts of landscape patterns on the ecosystem services in this region remain unclear. To address this issue, we propose a novel framework integrating the InVEST-based ecosystem service assessment and spatiotemporal weighted regression (STWR)-based analysis of the spatiotemporal heterogeneity in urban–suburban areas, and apply it to the empirical study of Fuzhou City from 2000 to 2020. It first utilized the InVEST model to build a comprehensive ecosystem service index (CES) from five aspects (i.e., habitat quality, carbon storage, water yield, soil retention, and water purification capacity). Then, four landscape pattern indices (LPIs) (i.e., patch density (PD), area-weighted mean fractal dimension (FRAC_AM), splitting (SPLIT), and Shannon’s diversity (SHDI) index) were selected to build the STWR model. We compared and analyzed the differences in the spatial coefficient surfaces and significance tests generated by the STWR model in urban, urban–suburban, and rural areas. Results show that the following: (1) The CES in Fuzhou shows an upward trend from the urban area to the urban–suburban and rural areas, with significant gradient differences. (2) Compared with other areas, the LPIs in urban–suburban areas show more fragmentation, discreteness, and diversity, indicating more socioeconomic activities. (3) Although LPIs’ impacts on CES change over time (increasing from 2005 to 2010 and 2020 but decreasing in 2015), their effects are relatively low in urban–suburban areas, significantly lower than in urban areas. (4) Interestingly, the LPI coefficients near the urban–suburban boundary seem more significant. (5) This framework can effectively reveal the spatiotemporal heterogeneous relationships between various LPIs and CES, thus guiding concrete policies and measures that support decision-making for improving the ecosystem services surrounding cities through shaping landscape patterns.

Energy enhancement through noise minimization using acoustic metamaterials in a wind farm

The determinantal noise pollution from wind turbines has constricted the acceptance of wind energy, posing health and environmental concerns. Existing solutions often compromise wind turbine efficiency or wind farm output, limiting the full utilization of wind energy. To address this challenge, we propose a novel method of effectively employing acoustic metamaterials (AMMs) inside a wind farm that leverages phase cancellation for noise suppression and energy enhancement. Through a combined phase retrieval, noise propagation model, and genetic algorithm, we determine the optimal layout and structural design of these AMMs inside a wind farm to minimize noise. We present two AMM designs, full-walled and segmented, and demonstrate their effectiveness for both single-turbine and multiple-turbine layout scenarios by achieving 91% (in Pa) and 10%–68% (in Pa) noise reduction, respectively, compared to reference layouts. Furthermore, we exhibit the AMM's impact in enhancing the energy throughput of wind farms by installing an additional wind turbine in a noise-restricted area of an existing AMM-equipped wind farm while maintaining a 70% (in Pa) reduction in noise levels. This approach paves the way for constructing wind farms near urban-suburban areas, complying with landscaping and visual government policies, and securing community acceptance towards sustainable power generation systems.

Diversity and geographical distribution of Leishmania species and the emergence of Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum and L. (Viannia) panamensis in Central-Western Venezuela

Transmission of cutaneous leishmaniasis in Venezuela reveals diverse and changing epidemiological landscapes, as well as a spectrum of clinical phenotypes presumed to be linked to a variety of Leishmania species. Central-western Venezuela constitutes one of the highest endemic epicenters in the country, and updated molecular epidemiological information is still lacking. Therefore, in this study we aimed to characterize the landscape of circulating Leishmania species across central-western Venezuela through the last two decades, performed comparisons of haplotype and nucleotide diversity, and built a geospatial map of parasite species distribution. A total of 120 clinical samples were collected from patients across the cutaneous disease spectrum, retrieving parasitic DNA, and further characterizing by PCR and sequencing of the HSP70 gene fragment. This data was later collated with further genetic, geospatial and epidemiological analyses. A peculiar pattern of species occurrence including Leishmania (Leishmania) amazonensis (77.63% N=59), Leishmania (Leishmania) infantum (14.47% N=11), Leishmania (Viannia) panamensis (5.26% N=4) and Leishmania (Viannia) braziliensis (2.63% N=2) was revealed, also highlighting a very low genetic diversity amongst all analyzed sequences. Geographical distribution showed that most cases are widely distributed across the greater urban-sub urban area of the Irribaren municipality. L.(L.) amazonensis appears to be widely dispersed throughout Lara state. Statistical analyses failed to reveal significance for any comparisons, leading to conclude a lack of association between the infective Leishmania species and clinical phenotypes. To the best of our knowledge, this is an unprecedented study which addresses comprehensively the geographical distribution of Leishmania species in central-western Venezuela throughout the last two decades, and the first to incriminate L. (L.) infantum as an etiologic agent of cutaneous leishmaniasis in this region. Our findings support that Leishmania endemism in central-western Venezuela is caused mainly by L.(L.) amazonensis. Future studies are needed to unveil additional details on the ecological intricacies and transmission aspects of leishmaniasis (i.e. sampling phlebotomines and mammals) and to adopt adequate public health prevention and control strategies and mitigate disease impact in this endemic region.

Accounting for animal movement improves vaccination strategies against wildlife disease in heterogeneous landscapes.

Oral baiting is used to deliver vaccines to wildlife to prevent, control, and eliminate infectious diseases. A central challenge is how to spatially distribute baits to maximize encounters by target animal populations, particularly in urban and suburban areas where wildlife such as raccoons (Procyon lotor) are abundant and baits are delivered along roads. Methods from movement ecology that quantify movement and habitat selection could help to optimize baiting strategies by more effectively targeting wildlife populations across space. We developed a spatially explicit, individual‐based model of raccoon movement and oral rabies vaccine seroconversion to examine whether and when baiting strategies that match raccoon movement patterns perform better than currently used baiting strategies in an oral rabies vaccination zone in greater Burlington, Vermont, USA. Habitat selection patterns estimated from locally radio‐collared raccoons were used to parameterize movement simulations. We then used our simulations to estimate raccoon population rabies seroprevalence under currently used baiting strategies (actual baiting) relative to habitat selection‐based baiting strategies (habitat baiting). We conducted simulations on the Burlington landscape and artificial landscapes that varied in heterogeneity relative to Burlington in the proportion and patch size of preferred habitats. We found that the benefits of habitat baiting strongly depended on the magnitude and variability of raccoon habitat selection and the degree of landscape heterogeneity within the baiting area. Habitat baiting improved seroprevalence over actual baiting for raccoons characterized as habitat specialists but not for raccoons that displayed weak habitat selection similar to radiocollared individuals, except when baits were delivered off roads where preferred habitat coverage and complexity was more pronounced. In contrast, in artificial landscapes with either more strongly juxtaposed favored habitats and/or higher proportions of favored habitats, habitat baiting performed better than actual baiting, even when raccoons displayed weak habitat preferences and where baiting was constrained to roads. Our results suggest that habitat selection‐based baiting could increase raccoon population seroprevalence in urban–suburban areas, where practical, given the heterogeneity and availability of preferred habitat types in those areas. Our novel simulation approach provides a flexible framework to test alternative baiting strategies in multiclass landscapes to optimize bait‐distribution strategies.

首都圏近郊整備地帯内における水循環グリーンインフラの特質と計画論に関する研究

首都圏近郊整備地帯内における水循環グリーンインフラの特質と計画論に関する研究

Spatio-Temporal Pattern of Multifunction Tradeoffs and Synergies of the Rural Landscape: Evidence from Qingpu District in Shanghai

The configuration of a multifunctional rural landscape is critical for its protection. Although studies on multifunctional rural landscapes have been conducted, there is a lack of information regarding the spatiotemporal characteristics and tradeoff/synergy relationships of rural landscape functions in the time series on the administrative unit scale. The purposes of this study were to (1) analyze the spatial-temporal distribution characteristics of the tradeoff and synergy from the perspective of multifunctionality for efficient use of rural landscape resources and (2) formulate regional sustainable development policies to minimize the conflict between people and nature. Aiming at the scientific representation of landscape function and the quantification of landscape multifunctional relationships, and by taking Qingpu District of Shanghai as an example, six kinds of rural landscape functions were constructed according to the functional framework of “productive function, living function and ecological function”. Based on the data for 1980 to 2018, the characteristics of variations of multifunctional tradeoff and synergy relationships of the rural landscape in 184 administrative villages were studied by the methods of Spearman rank correlation coefficient analysis and bivariate spatial autocorrelation. The following results were obtained. 1) The fine division of rural landscape function types was realistic and necessary for analyzing the regional multi-function relationships in the regions with rapid development. In the process of rapid urbanization, the rural landscape functions of urban suburban areas changed under the combined action of natural resource endowment, social and economic conditions and other internal and external factors. As a result, the agricultural production function could not replace the economic development function and become the function of rural landscape production. The research results of Qingpu District showed that the agricultural production function was no longer the primary functional form, yet the economic development function became the dominant function in this area. 2) Temporal and spatial analysis methods of rural landscape functions can accurately and comprehensively reflect the evolution of the characteristics of multifunction tradeoffs and synergies. According to the Spearman rank correlation analysis of the multifunction value of the rural landscape in the time dimension, the results masked the differences of resource and environment carrying capacity caused by the differences of regional landscape resource endowment in the spatial dimension. 3) The spatial and temporal differences of the multi-functional tradeoffs and synergies of the rural landscape in Qingpu District from 1980 to 2018 were significant. There was significant heterogeneity of tradeoffs and synergies between functions in the spatial pattern, with clustering characteristics. Meanwhile, as for the temporal pattern, the tradeoffs and synergies of functions changed differently in terms of Moran's I and the correlation coefficient. The results of this study can provide scientific references for urban-suburban-rural space reconstruction and regional sustainable development.

Community-setting pneumonia-associated hospitalizations by level of urbanization—New York City versus other areas of New York State, 2010–2014

BackgroundNew York City (NYC) reported a higher pneumonia and influenza death rate than the rest of New York State during 2010–2014. Most NYC pneumonia and influenza deaths are attributed to pneumonia caused by infection acquired in the community, and these deaths typically occur in hospitals.MethodsWe identified hospitalizations of New York State residents aged ≥20 years discharged from New York State hospitals during 2010–2014 with a principal diagnosis of community-setting pneumonia or a secondary diagnosis of community-setting pneumonia if the principal diagnosis was respiratory failure or sepsis. We examined mean annual age-adjusted community-setting pneumonia-associated hospitalization (CSPAH) rates and proportion of CSPAH with in-hospital death, overall and by sociodemographic group, and produced a multivariable negative binomial model to assess hospitalization rate ratios.ResultsCompared with non-NYC urban, suburban, and rural areas of New York State, NYC had the highest mean annual age-adjusted CSPAH rate at 475.3 per 100,000 population and the highest percentage of CSPAH with in-hospital death at 13.7%. NYC also had the highest proportion of CSPAH patients residing in higher-poverty-level areas. Adjusting for age, sex, and area-based poverty, NYC residents experienced 1.3 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.2–1.4), non-NYC urban residents 1.4 (95% CI, 1.3–1.6), and suburban residents 1.2 (95% CI, 1.1–1.3) times the rate of CSPAH than rural residents.ConclusionsIn New York State, NYC as well as other urban areas and suburban areas had higher rates of CSPAH than rural areas. Further research is needed into drivers of CSPAH deaths, which may be associated with poverty.

Survey of psychiatrist use of digital technology in clinical practice

BackgroundPsychiatrists were surveyed to obtain an overview of how they currently use technology in clinical practice, with a focus on psychiatrists who treat patients with bipolar disorder.MethodsData were obtained using an online-only survey containing 46 questions, completed by a convenience sample of 209 psychiatrists in 19 countries. Descriptive statistics, and analyses of linear associations and to remove country heterogeneity were calculated.ResultsVirtually all psychiatrists seek information online with many benefits, but some experience information overload. 75.2% of psychiatrists use an EMR/EHR at work, and 64.6% communicate with patients using a new technology, primarily email (48.8%). 66.0% do not ask patients if they use the Internet in relation to bipolar disorder. 67.3% of psychiatrists feel it is too early to tell if patient online information seeking about bipolar disorder is improving the quality of care. 66.3% of psychiatrists think technology-based treatments will improve the quality of care for some or many patients. However, 60.0% of psychiatrists do not recommend technology-based treatments to patients, and those who recommend select a variety of treatments. Psychiatrists use technology more frequently when the patients live in urban rather than rural or suburban areas. Only 23.9% of psychiatrists have any formal training in technology.ConclusionsDigital technology is routinely used by psychiatrists in clinical practice. There is near unanimous agreement about the benefits of psychiatrist online information-seeking, but research on information overload is needed. There is less agreement about the appropriate use of other clinical technologies, especially those involving patients. It is too early to tell if technology-based treatments or patient Internet activities will improve the quality of care. The digital divide remains between use of technology for psychiatrists with patients living in urban and rural or suburban areas. Psychiatrists need more formal training in technology to understand risks, benefits and limitations of clinical products.

Sources and distribution of heavy metal and C–N isotopes in topsoils across an urban-rural gradient in a typical hazy city, northern China

Abstract Urban soils differ from rural soils in that they are more susceptible to both point-source or diffuse anthropogenic contamination associated with urbanization. However, few studies have attempted to identify local sources of C and N, and determine the degree of anthropogenic inputs to topsoils using C–N isotopic data collected across an urban-rural gradient in China. In this study, a combination of heavy metals and isotopic data were collected and analyzed from topsoils along three transects. One transect was located in an urban-suburban area of central Shijiazhuang (CS); the other two were located in northern Shijiazhuang (NS, county-rural) and southern Shijiazhuang (SS, rural). Statistical analysis of heavy metal concentrations suggests that Cu, Pb, Cd and Zn were strongly influenced by vehicular transport, whereas Hg was related to coal burning. In contrast, V, Cr and Ni mainly originated from natural sources. Isotopically, topsoils in SS mainly reflected natural sources. In contrast, generally low δ13CTOC in topsoils from CS and NS indicate the input of coals and vehicle exhausts with depleted values. δ13CTC in topsoils from CS and NS were about the same as those in street dust. Nitrogen isotopes also reflected the influence of coal burning; elevated values (as high as 8.8‰) occurred around urban and industrial sites, whereas low values (as low as −7.2‰) characterized suburban-rural topsoils were affected by vehicle exhausts. However, several abnormally high values were related to coal combustion by local residents in rural areas. This study demonstrates that the distribution of heavy metals and C–N isotopes is closely correlated to local anthropogenic activities, and could be effectively differentiated from natural sources in topsoil among urban, suburban and rural areas.

Examining the Teacher Labor Market in Different Rural Contexts: Variations by Urbanicity and Rural States

Using repeated cross-sectional nationally representative data, we demonstrate how the teacher labor markets for rural contexts are different from those in urban-suburban areas. We also show that teacher attrition is not uniform across various rural settings. In particular, novice teachers in rural schools in sparsely populated states are more likely to turn over than novice teachers in urban-suburban schools in sparsely populated states. We also examine how teacher and school characteristics are associated with turnover in different rural contexts. The findings indicate there should be a concerted effort to examine teacher attrition in various rural contexts and not simply as delineation from urban-suburban areas.

Land Use Conflict with a Particular Reference to Spatial Planning Implementation in South Sulawesi

Land use changes and conflicts have recently become a major issue in newly developed regions of Indonesia, since the implementation of regional autonomy policies, which put emphasis on decentralization of land use governance. In South Sulawesi, there are two main issues related to land use conflict. First is the invasion on protected forest land in rural areas, and second is the growing spread of urban development into rural areas which has created many types of conflicts over land use. The primary aim of this paper is to assess land use conflict within these two contexts in terms of unsuitable spatial location of existing land use with land use functions in the spatial regulation at two different scales: provincial and regency. At a provincial level, a careful detection was done at some selected area in South Sulawesi, while at regency level, some forms of conflict were assessed in the southern parts of South Sulawesi. The study employed integrated techniques of spatial data analyses and interviews, and the data were analyzed in geographic information systems (GIS). This study indicates that, at a provincial level significant areas of dry land agriculture, estate plantation, mining, and residential were found in the land designated as protected forest, and within GIS data base it can be identified a total areas of 2,075 ha, 677 ha, 1,415 ha, and 193 ha, respectively. At a regency level, conflicts occurred between existing land use and land functions in local spatial planning regulation, particularly at agriculture and urban-suburban areas. Results of interviews and questionnaires by purposive sampling with the community indicate several factors causing land use change include: a) low incomes of local community, b) increasing of price of basic needs, c) attempts to gain more revenue from land use, c) land use existed before spatial regulation being implemented, and d) ecological condition that forces farmers to practice shifting cultivation. The results of this study will give insights into how to design future land use policies both at provincial and regency levels in this region.

LEPTOSPIROSIS IN URBAN AND SUBURBAN AMERICAN BLACK BEARS ( URSUS AMERICANUS) IN WESTERN NORTH CAROLINA, USA.

American black bear ( Ursus americanus) populations in North Carolina, US have recovered significantly in recent decades and now occupy much of western North Carolina, including urban-suburban areas. We used the black bear as a potential sentinel for leptospirosis, a bacterial zoonotic disease caused by Leptospira spp., which is maintained by domestic and wild mammals. We determined whether Leptospira spp. were present across a gradient of housing densities in the urban and suburban black bear population in and around Asheville, North Carolina using serologic and molecular surveys. We collected blood from captured black bears ( n=94) and kidneys and bladders from carcasses ( n=19). We tested a total of 96 (47 females, 47 males, and 2 unknown) serum samples by microscopic agglutination test (MAT) and had positive results (titer >1:100) for L. kirschneri serovar Grippotyphosa (L. Grippotyphosa) in 4 females (8%) and 5 males (10%). No other serovars showed elevated titers in MAT. We tested a total of 125 samples using PCR ( n=96 serum, n=20 kidney, and n=9 bladders) and obtained positive results from one serum (1%), one kidney (5%), and one bladder (11%). The presence of Leptospira spp. in black bears occupying an urban and suburban landscape may indicate a more extensive occurrence of the bacteria among animals in the study region because black bears are the top carnivore in that ecosystem. Potential threats of widespread contamination during natural events such as flood or drought must be considered.

The association between objective measures of residence and worksite neighborhood environment, and self-reported leisure-time physical activities: The Aichi Workers' Cohort Study

The possible effects of a neighborhood's built environment on physical activity have not been studied in Asian countries as much as in Western countries. The present study cross-sectionally examined the relationship between geographic information system (GIS) measured residence and worksite neighborhood walkability, and the number of parks/green spaces and sports facilities within a 1 km radius of home and workplace, with self-reported leisure-time habitual (3–4 times per week or more) walking and moderate-to-vigorous intensity habitual exercise among local government workers aged 18 to 64 years living in an urban-suburban area of Aichi, Japan in 2013. A single-level binomial regression model was used to estimate the multivariable odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs). Of the 1959 male and 884 female participants, 288 (15%) and 141 (16%) reported habitual walking, respectively, and 18% and 17% reported habitual exercise, respectively. Compared with women who resided in neighborhood with a walkability index of 4–30, those living in an area with that of 35–40 were significantly more likely to engage in leisure-time habitual exercise (multivariable OR: 1.70, 95% CI: 1.08–2.68). Marginally significant positive associations were found between leisure-time habitual exercise and the residential neighborhood's number of parks/green spaces among women, as well as the number of sports facilities among men. In conclusion, a residential neighborhood environment characterized by higher walkability may contribute to the initiation or maintenance of moderate-to-vigorous intensity leisure-time exercise among working women living in an urban-suburban area of Japan.

Heat island effect on outdoor meteorological parameters for building energy-saving design in a large city in Northern China

The climate change and urban heat island (UHI) effects on outdoor meteorological parameters were determined by analysing design temperatures for heating and air-conditioning in urban centre, suburban and outer suburban areas in a large city in northern China. The results showed that design temperatures increased apparently over the past 20 years and decreased considerably from the urban centre to suburban and outer suburban areas. The climate change and UHI impacts would lead to 1%–5% changes in design loads, decreasing the heating design load and increasing the cooling design load as the buildings moves from outer suburban, suburban to urban areas and from the past to the present. The decrease in the heating load exceeds the increase in the cooling load, being beneficial to improve building energy efficiency. Climate change and UHI impacts should be fully considered to promote energy-saving of building design.

Improving Access to Collaborative Behavioral Health Care for Rural-Dwelling Older Adults.

This study examined whether a telephone-delivered collaborative care intervention (SUpporting Seniors Receiving Treatment And INtervention [SUSTAIN]) improved access to mental health services similarly among older adults in rural areas and those in urban-suburban areas. This cohort study of 8,621 older adults participating in the SUSTAIN program, a clinical service provided to older adults in Pennsylvania newly prescribed a psychotropic medication by a primary care or non-mental health provider, examined rural versus urban-suburban differences in rates of initial clinical interview completion, patient clinical characteristics, and program penetration. Participants in rural counties were more likely than those in urban-suburban counties to complete the initial clinical interview (27.0% versus 24.0%, p=.001). Program penetration was significantly higher in rural than in urban-suburban counties (p=.02). Telephone-based care management programs such as SUSTAIN may be an effective strategy to facilitate access to collaborative mental health care regardless of patients' geographic location.

Bird Feeders as Locations for Skunk Uptake of Oral Rabies Vaccine Baits.

Significantly more (54%, P=0.003) placebo baits placed under 26 bird feeders in Arizona, US were removed by striped skunks ( Mephitis mephitis ) than at paired, nonfeeder locations (19%). Baiting at bird feeders could supplement traditional oral rabies vaccine bait placement in urban-suburban areas while engaging the public in rabies control efforts.

CRITERIOS DE ZONIFICACIÓN AMBIENTAL USANDO TÉCNICAS PARTICIPATIVAS Y DE INFORMACIÓN: ESTUDIO DE CASO ZONA COSTERA DEL DEPARTAMENTO DEL ATLÁNTICO

In the Integrated Coastal Zone Management frame, environmental zoning is considered a tool for land planning and management. It is based on definition and integration of biophysical, socioeconomic and governability criteria. With the aim for using this tool as part of the coastal zone environmental planning in the Atlántico province (Colombian Caribbean) the following criteria were defined: representative level, stage of ecosystem intervention, ecosystem function, current state of associated fauna, natural risks, water balance alteration, land use intensity, land use aptitude and land use conflicts. The integral analysis of criteria allowed the definition of management areas such as strategic ecosystems, recovery zones, sustainable use, sustainable production and urban-suburban areas. These areas were the base for further definition of integrated coastal zone management guidelines. The definition and integral analysis of zoning criteria were based on participatory techniques, interdisciplinary technical workshops and local community participatory process. As well, Geographic Information System supported the spatial analysis criteria over ecological landscape units. The environmental zoning is a tool for environmental planning which requires definition and integration of biophysical, socioeconomic and governability criteria for facing the conflicts and problems found in the area in order to lead management actions. It is hoped that future work will study the incorporation of models to support the selection and qualification criteria in a quantitative way; also it is expected that participatory processes will involve different sectors such as the economic, since they have less participation in these planning processes.

A Realistic Estimate of Annual Typical Daily Wind Power of different heights in Urban Armidale NSW, Australia

Wind is one of the common sources of renewable and clean energy. It is really difficult to predict wind performance at any specific moment. In addition to the very intermittent nature of wind, wind behaviour and speed are directly affected by several factors, specifically the nature of the environment and the height that wind blows at. Wind behaviour at urban large city areas and urban suburban areas is completely different than such behaviour at open terrain and flat unobstructed areas. Wind performance in urban and areas are completely different from either open areas or capital cities with huge high rise buildings. Wind is more disturbed and turbulent and wind speed decreases due to the existence of several obstructions, mostly buildings either single storey or medium rise or high rise buildings in addition to trees. Moreover, wind speed at different heights is directly affecting win energy can be generated from using wind turbines. Thus, it is never an easy task to provide a reliable realistic estimate of wind energy at a specific urban location or city. Many trials based on using meteorological announced wind speed which is a clear overestimation and misled non-specialists due to the fact that meteorological observations are conducted on specified heights (mostly 10 meters) in an open place with no restriction, this would provide a wind speed much higher than wind speed would occur in the urban environment of the same town. Armidale is a regional city in New South Wales (NSW) in Australia, as well it is the highest town all over Australia. This study aims to provide a justified realistic/creditable/ reliable estimate of annual typical daily wind power. The reason of this justification that this study depends on an accurate estimate wind speed at different heights calculated specifically for urban Armidale. Such estimate would be a great benefit of wind energy specialists and non-specialists households to obtain an estimate of daily potential wind power in Armidale.

Armidale’s Valley, NSW, Australia: Annual Typical Daily Urban Wind Speed for Heights Equal and Less than 10 Meters

Wind has a very intermittent nature, its behaviour and speed are directly affected by several factors, specifically the nature of the environment and the height that wind blows at. Wind behaviour at urban large city areas and urban suburban areas is completely different than such behaviour at open terrain and flat unobstructed areas, wind turns to be more disturbed and turbulent and wind speed is reduced due to the existence of several obstructions, mostly buildings either single storey or medium rise or high rise buildings in addition to trees. As well, the height at which wind is blowing, the lower height the more disturbed wind the less wind speed, such effect is maximised in urban areas and near to the ground level. This paper aims to estimate and generate, in urban Armidale NSW, Australia, an annual typical daily wind speed for heights equal and less than 10m. A numerical method is applied to calculate such wind speed at urban Armidale at various heights (10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5 & 4) m utilising an already previously generated typical wind speed reference year (TRY) of Armidale based on historical meteorological wind speed records measured at 10m height at Armidale's Tree Group Nursery Weather Station over a period of 23 years (1991 to 2013). This station is situated typically in valley of Armidale's lowest altitude, thus such data would represent the pessimistic scenario of urban wind speed in Armidale. Achieving such a database of typical reference year of daily wind speed at heights equal and less than 10 meters in (m/s) is an added value to the micro-scale wind energy generation systems, ranges from 0.5 kW to 10 kW, as such systems involves micro-scale wind turbines would be operating at heights considered at this study.

Optimistic / Normal / Pessimistic Limits of Urban Wind Speed in Armidale NSW, Australia

Wind has a very intermittent nature, its behaviour and speed are directly affected by several factors, specifically the nature of the environment and the height that wind blows at. Wind behaviour at urban large city areas and urban suburban areas is completely different than such behaviour at open terrain and flat unobstructed areas, wind turns to be more disturbed and turbulent and wind speed is reduced due to the existence of several obstructions, mostly buildings either single storey or medium rise or high rise buildings in addition to trees. As well, the height at which wind is blowing, the lower height the more disturbed wind the less wind speed, such effect is maximised in urban areas and near to the ground level. In this study, typical reference years of urban wind speed for Armidale town in New South Wales in Australia are generated from the daily meteorological wind speed data measured for 23 years from two weather stations in Armidale which are Armidale Airport Automatic Weather Stations and Armidale Tree Group Nursery Manual Weather Station, utilising the Finkelstein-Schafer statistical method. The study outcome is a database of the daily optimistic, normal and pessimistic limits all over the year of the urban wind speed in Armidale NSW. The said database limits would be a real help for wind energy generation systems' designers in this region for all building applications varying between residential, educational, administrative and commercial for sizing and maximising efficiency of such systems by using the tabular TYR outcome for the each day of the year for various heights (10, 9, 8, 7, 6, 5 & 4) meters.