89th American Meteorological Society Annual Meeting

Wednesday, 14 January 2009: 10:45 AM
Physiologically equivalent temperature and climate change in Freiburg
Room 124B (Phoenix Convention Center)
Andreas Matzarakis, University of Freiburg, Freiburg, , Germany; and C. Endler
Poster PDF (434.6 kB)
Modelled data based on the A1B and B1 scenarios from the regional climate model REMO from the Max-Planck-Institute of Meteorology in Hamburg has been used for the present analysis. The data has a high spatial and temporal resolution and is available from 1950 until 2100. In that way, the period 1961-1990 and 1971-2000 of the A1B scenario is used as the reference period for future climate change, respectively. Additionally, data from the station of the German Meteorological Service (Deutscher Wetterdienst) for the period 1961-2000 has been used as well.

Therefore, the physiologically equivalent temperature and its variations of Freiburg have been analysed. Freiburg states an interesting study site for urban bioclimate research located at the foothills of the Black Forest. Additionally, Freiburg is one of the most important and visited city in the Black Forest. The physiologically equivalent temperature is based on the human energy balance and describes the effects of the meteorological conditions (short and long wave radia-tion, air temperature, air humidity and wind speed) and thermo physiological conditions (clothing and activity on humans).

The analysis based on the A1B simulation shows a strong increase in heat and thermal stress as well as in humid warm conditions. On the other hand, cold stress and thermal acceptability are clearly reduced by the end of the 21st century. In general, the results of B1 are lower com-pared to A1B. Based on the results, reduction possibilities based on modified air temperature, global radiation and wind speed have been applied in order to validate the sensitivity of these parameters on physiologically equivalent temperature and expected future climate conditions.

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