Changes Over Space: The Urban Heat Island Effect

Question 1

The edge of the island is usually…

Answer 1

Well defined and temperatures change abruptly at the rural-urban boundary

Question 2

By how much do temperatures rise towards the peak of a city

Answer 2

About 2-4 degrees C per km

Question 3

Within the plateau, what causes variations that reflect the distribution of industries, power stations, water areas and open spaces

Answer 3

Albedo

Question 4

What is the plateau

Answer 4

The area of steady rise in temperatures after the cliff of the city edge

Question 5

Albedo of highly reflective surfaces

Answer 5

They absorb little insolation. They can reflect it back into the atmosphere and keep cool, or reflect it so that it focuses into a small area, which heats up.

Question 6

Surfaces in the city vs rural

Answer 6

In the city they tend to be much less reflective - lots of tarmac but not a great deal of grass

Question 7

Why do rural areas have a greater albedo in the winter

Answer 7

They keep snow for a much longer period