This topic contains a solution. Click here to go to the answer

Author Question: Explain the basic cause of the urban heat island. What will be an ideal ... (Read 60 times)

Zoey63294

  • Hero Member
  • *****
  • Posts: 539
Explain the basic cause of the urban heat island.
 
  What will be an ideal response?

Question 2

Compare the radiation absorption and emission characteristics of rural areas and urban areas. Use your conclusions to help explain the urban heat-island effect.
 
  What will be an ideal response?



Related Topics

Need homework help now?

Ask unlimited questions for free

Ask a Question
Marked as best answer by a Subject Expert

Chocorrol77

  • Sr. Member
  • ****
  • Posts: 313
Answer to Question 1

Answer: Urban heat islands occur because of modification to the energy balance that results when natural surfaces are replaced by artificial materials and when human activities release heat into the local environment.

Answer to Question 2

Answer: Urban heat islands occur because of modifications to the energy balance that result when natural surfaces are paved and built on and when human activities release heat into the local environment. When the sun is low in the skynear sunrise and sunset, and during much of the day at high latitudes in the winterdirect sunlight that would otherwise reach the horizontal surface hits the vertical walls of buildings. This causes the angle of incidence to become closer to perpendicular and increases surface heating, which leads to a higher temperature. The presence of buildings also affects the rate of heating by changing the surface albedo. Darker buildings, of course, absorb more sunlight than lighter ones, and, in general, urban surfaces (asphalt streets, roofing materials) have lower albedos than the natural surfaces they replace. The presence of buildings also affects the amount of absorption by causing multiple reflections to occur, as shown in Figure 1419. As sunlight penetrates the urban landscape and hits the side of a building, some of the energy is absorbed and some is scattered back as diffuse radiation. Some of the scattered radiation strikes an adjacent building, where once again a portion is absorbed. This process goes on repeatedly, with each successive reflection at least partially absorbed upon contact with another wall. This increases the total absorption so the albedo of the urban area is actually lower than the albedo of the individual surfaces.




Zoey63294

  • Member
  • Posts: 539
Reply 2 on: Jul 14, 2018
Great answer, keep it coming :)


steff9894

  • Member
  • Posts: 337
Reply 3 on: Yesterday
Excellent

 

Did you know?

In 1885, the Lloyd Manufacturing Company of Albany, New York, promoted and sold "Cocaine Toothache Drops" at 15 cents per bottle! In 1914, the Harrison Narcotic Act brought the sale and distribution of this drug under federal control.

Did you know?

A recent study has found that following a diet rich in berries may slow down the aging process of the brain. This diet apparently helps to keep dopamine levels much higher than are seen in normal individuals who do not eat berries as a regular part of their diet as they enter their later years.

Did you know?

Inotropic therapy does not have a role in the treatment of most heart failure patients. These drugs can make patients feel and function better but usually do not lengthen the predicted length of their lives.

Did you know?

The shortest mature adult human of whom there is independent evidence was Gul Mohammed in India. In 1990, he was measured in New Delhi and stood 22.5 inches tall.

Did you know?

ACTH levels are normally highest in the early morning (between 6 and 8 A.M.) and lowest in the evening (between 6 and 11 P.M.). Therefore, a doctor who suspects abnormal levels looks for low ACTH in the morning and high ACTH in the evening.

For a complete list of videos, visit our video library