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Weather and Climate > Unit 4 Notes > Flashcards

Unit 4 Notes Flashcards

1
Q

How do Urban climates differ from rural climates in temperature?

A

Higher Temperature - Surfaces such as concrete are dark and non reflective, absorb and retain heat, with a lack of vegetation.

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2
Q

How do Urban climates differ from rural climates in humidity?

A

Lower humidity - lack of vegetation, quicker drainage of rainwater, urban heat island effect, faster evaporation, air conditioning and heating.

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3
Q

How do urban climates differ from rural climates in frost?

A

Fewer frost - heat stored is released during the night, additional heat from vehicles. Tall buildings trap heat within urban areas.

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4
Q

How do urban climates differ from rural climates in air particles?

A

More air particles - higher emissions from human activities, industrial activities, transport, construction, improper waste management, higher ozone levels.

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5
Q

How do urban climates differ from rural climates in rainfall?

A

Higher rainfall - Urban areas absorb and retain more heat. Warm air rises, cools and condenses. Tall buildings promote lifting of air, disrupting natural processes.

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6
Q

What is the importance of urban microclimate?

A

Becoming a more urban species, since 2010, more of the world’s population live in urban areas than rural areas. 70% of the world’s population will be living in urban areas by 2050.

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7
Q

How many megacities were there in 1950?

A

2.

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8
Q

How many megacities were there in 2018?

A

37.

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9
Q

What are the important factors to note about megacities?

A

Most cities are Asian and African, Tokyo has shrunk, China is growing, India is growing the fastest.

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10
Q

Why is the developing world expanding?

A

Rural-urban migration, population growth, economic development, globalisation, urban sprawl, instability.

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11
Q

What issues do megacities face?

A

Overcrowding, strain on infrastructure, growth of slums, increased population, rising inequality.

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12
Q

What issues do megacities face as a result of urban climate?

A

Demand for energy, increased temperatures, health risks, increased emissions, vegetation loss, localised flooding.

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13
Q

What is the Urban heat island?

A

The idea that urban areas are warmer than surrounding rural areas, creating a localised warm area.

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14
Q

What are the causes of urban heat island?

A

Limited surface water, bare earth and vegetation in urban areas, less insolation is used up evaporating water, less of the sun’s energy is reflected, more insolation is absorbed and stored by urban surfaces.

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15
Q

What is Albedo?

A

The reflectivity of a surface. Darker surfaces have a low albedo and absorb insolation. Light surfaces have a high albedo, reflecting insolation.

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16
Q

How does Albedo contribute to a UHI?

A

Dark surfaces on roads and pavements mean that more heat is absorbed, and less heat is reflected, leading to increased temperature.

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17
Q

How could urban areas be designed to reduce the albedo effect of UHI?

A

Light coloured roof, light coloured pavements, permeable pavements, heat reflective coatings, urban greening, trees and vegetation, design buildings to optimise natural ventilation, reflective building materials.

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18
Q

What is heat pollution?

A

Buildings in cities heated through winter months, was cooled through the summer months through air conditioning, generating heat pollution.

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19
Q

What is the evidence of the UHI in Birmingham?

A

February 2014 - warmest temperature was 6.2 degrees in the city centre, whereas the coolest temperature was 3.6 degrees in the south west of the city.

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20
Q

Where have temperatures risen most over the last 15 years?

A

In the cities of New Delhi and Mumbai - 2.3 degrees. 5-7 degrees warmer on summer nights.

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21
Q

How is heat island not constant in an urban area?

A

Seasonal variations, diurnal variations.

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22
Q

Why do high pressure anticylconic systems lead to a more pronounced temperature difference?

A

Reduced cloud cover, allows more sunlight to reach the surface, leading to greater heat absorption, calm winds, more impermeable heat absorbing surfaces, urban areas experience less impact due to lack of precipitation.

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23
Q

What are the diurnal variations in UHI’s?

A

Heat island effect becomes most pronounced between 6pm and 2am, difference between rural and urban is the highest. Tall buildings and narrow streets trap heat through urban canyon effect.

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24
Q

How does rurality affect wind speed?

A

Speed of winds is generally lower in urban areas. Winds are affected because they are deflected over and around buildings, creating frictional drag.

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25
Q

How does wind affect buildings?

A

The windspeed side of a building has high pressure, due to the air pushing against it. Leeward side blocks, the straight path of the wind, has an area of low pressure. Wind moves around the building from high pressure to the area of low pressure.

26
Q

How does the arrangement of buildings affect buildings?

A

Building could cause the Venturi effect - meaning wind is funnelled down certain streets, creating localised strong winds.

27
Q

How does the urban rainfall effect affect the way we manage water?

A

Due to urban planning - putting reservoirs in the opposite direction of prevailing winds.

28
Q

Where are prevailing winds in the UK?

A

From the south west, so it would make sense to put reservoirs in the North East, and solar farms in the south west.

29
Q

What is Humidity?

A

A measurement of the amount of water in the air. Urban humidity is up to 6% lower than rural areas.

30
Q

Why is humidity lower in urban areas?

A

Air temperature, land surface, more pollution, creating more condensation nuclei, creating more rainfall.

31
Q

How is humidity in urban areas affected?

A

By the contrasting land surface with rural areas, affecting the movement and amount of moisture in the environment.

32
Q

Why does more moisture enter the air in a rural environment?

A

Presence of vegetation, evapotranspiration.

33
Q

How does the presence of vegetation enter the air in a rural environment?

A

Plants in rural areas release moisture into the atmosphere through transpiration. Plants in urban areas are often replaced by impermeable surfaces.

34
Q

How does evapotranspiration enter the air in a rural environment?

A

Transpiration from plants result in higher evapotranspiration in rural areas, increasing atmospheric moisture. Reduced vegetation in urban areas means lower evapotranspiration rates.

35
Q

What does human activity lead to?

A

Higher concentrations of carbon dioxide, sulphur dioxide, nitrogen dioxide, particulates.

36
Q

How many deaths does air pollution cause per year?

A

7 Million premature deaths.

37
Q

What are the short term effects of poor air quality?

A

Irritation, aggravation of pre existing conditions, headaches.

38
Q

What are the long term effects of poor air quality?

A

Chronic disease, cardiovascular disease, lung cancer.

39
Q

Who are the vulnerable groups as a result of poor air quality?

A

Children, elderly, pregnant women.

40
Q

What are the global health risks as a result of poor air quality?

A

Premature deaths, economic and healthcare costs.

41
Q

How is smog formed?

A

Tends to form under calm conditions, when air is calm.

42
Q

How is photochemical smog formed?

A

Burning of fossil fuels can create photochemical smog, a condition develops when primary pollutants interact with sunlight to produce secondary pollutants such as Ozone.

43
Q

How is particulate pollution formed?

A

Through road transport, when fuels are burned, and tyres and brakes wear down, as well as burning of fuels for industrial, commercial and domestic purposes.

44
Q

What was the London smog event?

A

Five days of foggy weather led to 4000 deaths. The reduction of coal has reduced the occurrence of smog.

45
Q

What was the clean air act 1956?

A

UK government introduced regulations on emissions of smoke and gases from industrial, commercial and domestic premises to improve air quality.

46
Q

Which factors have reduced particulate emissions?

A

The reduction of commercial combustion, reduction of public power, reduction of industrial combustion.

47
Q

What is Acid Rain?

A

Any form of precipitation with acidic components, such as sulfuric or nitric acid, including rain, snow, fog, hail.

48
Q

What are the causes of acid rain?

A

Nitrogen dioxide is emitted from burning fossil fuels in power stations and factories, dissolves in water vapour in the air. Winds carry pollution up to 800km away.

49
Q

What are the impacts of Acid Rain?

A

Acid particles weather stonework of historic buildings, people suffer from eye and throat irritations, pores in leaves are damaged due to acidic rain, aluminium is washed into rivers and lakes, fish and frogs can’t spawn in acid water. Removed nutrients through soil.

50
Q

What are the different strategies to reduce the impact of human activity on urban climates?

A

Transport policies/legislation, technological solutions, land use planning, planting urban trees.

51
Q

Which transport policies have been implemented?

A

Vehicle taxation, banning petrol and diesel vehicles, clean air zones.

52
Q

What examples of vehicle taxation are there?

A

New road tax bands based on C02 emissions of a vehicle, to encourage the use of more fuel efficient vehicles.

53
Q

Which regulations ban petrol and diesel vehicles?

A

New petrol and diesel cars will be banned by 2040, and all petrol and fuel cars will be banned by 2050.

54
Q

How much did central government give to local councils for countries to create clean air zones?

A

£250 Million from central government for countries to create clean air zones. ULEZ - £12.50 per day.

55
Q

What are the technological solutions to the Urban heat island?

A

Titanium dioxide reacts with UV light to neutralise air pollution, Manuel Gea Gonzalez hospital - smog eating facade, covering 2500 metres.

56
Q

How can land use planning reduce effects of the UHI?

A

Discourage car transport for low or zero pollution, 9 out of 10 Danes own a bicycle, 34% of commuters cycle to work, 49% of all children aged 11-15 cycle to school. Painted cycle lanes, protected cycle lanes away from road.

57
Q

How do trees reduce the effects of cities on climate?

A

Provide shading, cool areas through transpiration, reduce energy demand, absorb C02, conserve energy.

58
Q

What are the benefits of trees>

A

On hot days, ground temperature beneath trees was over 10 degrees lower than in areas exposed to the sun. A mature tree transpires over 100 gallons of water each day.

59
Q

What are the current trends in air pollution?

A

Cities with the highest urban air pollution are in Asia and the middle east - Riyadh, Delhi, Cairo. Lowest levels are in developed cities - Toronto, Madrid, London.

60
Q

Why is air pollution so bad in New Delhi?

A

Landlocked, prone to temperature inversions due to indo-gangeti plain. Vehicle emissions, industrial pollution, waste burning, crop burning, seasonal variations, population density.

61
Q

What is an example of a sustainable city?

A

Curitiba - 18 million people. 52 square metres of green space. Bus rapid transport system, buses arrive every 90 seconds, unaffected by cars. 90 miles of bike lanes.

62
Q

How do smart cities aim to improve sustainability?

A

Urban and environmental quality, energy efficiency, solid waste and effluents, sustainable urban mobility, urban innovation.

Weather and Climate (8 decks)

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