No abstract

Many studies have found that larger parks might be needed to counteract the Urban Heat Island effects typical in densely populated Asian megacities. However, it is not easy to establish large parks to serve as urban cool islands in Asian megacities, where little space exists for large urban neighborhood parks. Officials in these cities would rather use small areas by replacing heat-absorbing artificial land cover with natural cover. The main objective of this study was to understand the cooling effect of changes in land cover on surface and air temperatures in urban micro-scale environments for supporting sustainable green-space planning and policy in densely built-up areas. This was achieved using measurements at different heights (ground surface, 0.1 m, and 1.5 m) for five land cover types (LCTs) and modeling with the micro-scale climate model ENVI-met. At all vertical measuring points, the average temperature over the entire measurement period had the same hot-to-cold order: asphalt > soil > grass > water > forest. However, the value dramatically decreased as the measuring points became higher. The intensity of hot and cool spots showed the highest value at surface by 18.2˝C, and declined with the height, showing 4.1˝C at 0.1 m and 3.1˝C at 1.5 m. The modeling results indicated that the well-known diurnal variation in surface insolation also occurred in our small domain, among the various LCTs. Based on these findings, providing small-scale green infrastructure in densely built-up areas could be an effective way to improve urban micro-scale thermal conditions.

No abstract

It is needed to preserve good effects and to prevent bad influences on local climate in urban and environmental planning. This study seeks to develop climate analysis maps

A bottom-up emissions inventory is one of the most important data sets needed to understand air quality (AQ) and climate change (CC). Several emission inventories have been developed for Asia, including Transport and Chemical Evolution over the Pacific (TRACE-P), Regional Emission Inventory in Asia (REAS), and Inter-Continental Chemical Transport Experiment (INTEX) and, while these have been used successfully for many international studies, they have limitations including restricted amounts of information on pollutant types and low levels of transparency with respect to the polluting sectors or fuel types involved. To address these shortcomings, we developed: (1) a base-year, bottom-up anthropogenic emissions inventory for Asia, using the most current parameters and international frameworks (i.e., the Greenhouse gas—Air pollution INteractions and Synergies (GAINS) model); and (2) a base-year, natural emissions inventory for biogenic and biomass burning. For (1), we focused mainly on China, South Korea, and Japan; however, we also covered emission inventories for other regions in Asia using data covering recent energy/industry statistics, emission factors, and control technology penetration. The emissions inventory (Comprehensive Regional Emissions inventory for Atmospheric Transport Experiment (CREATE)) covers 54 fuel classes, 201 subsectors, and 13 pollutants, namely SO2, NOx, CO, non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOC), NH3, OC, BC, PM10, PM2.5, CO2, CH4, N2O, and Hg. For the base-year natural emissions inventory, the Model of Emissions of Gases and Aerosols from Nature (MEGAN) and BlueSky-Asia frameworks were used to estimate biogenic and biomass burning emissions, respectively. Since the CREATE emission inventory was designed/developed using international climate change/air quality (CC/AQ) assessment frameworks, such as GAINS, and has been fully connected with the most comprehensive emissions modeling systems—such as the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Chemical Manufacturing Area Source (CMAS) system—it can be used to support various climate and AQ integrated modeling studies, both now and in the future.

No abstract

A wind corridor forest is defined as an urban forest for utilizing the functions of a wind corridor that allow “cool and fresh air (cold air)” generated in forests at night to flow to urban development areas. This study aims to provide planning strategies for implementing a wind corridor forest by analyzing current conditions in Haengbok City (HBC region), Sejong, South Korea. The HBC region had many wind-generating forests (WGF), wind-spreading forests (WSF), and wind-connecting forests (WCF), and secured the connections among the target areas of each wind corridor forest. Despite the favorable conditions for a wind corridor forest, cold air flow showed that there are regions with unfavorable wind conditions in the HBC region. In order to strengthen the functions of a wind corridor forests in the HBC region, four zones were distinguished according to the functional characteristics. Additionally, the planning strategies of a wind corridor forests suitable for each zone were provided, and the strategies for establishing a wind corridor forest were proposed. The results of this study can be used as the fundamental data for establishing guidelines for a wind corridor forest and utilized as resources for selecting regions suitable for a wind corridor forest.

This study aims to analyze the properties of cold air production and its flow of Nakdong-Jeongmaek(mountain ranges), and to suggest management strategies for Nakdong-Jeongmaek in order to enhance the green air conditioning functions of Jeongmaek. For this purpose, three study sites including Gudeoksan Mountain and the vicinity in Busan, Goheonsan Mountain and the vicinity in Ulsan, and Unjusan Mountain and the vicinity in Pohang were selected. The results found that cold air flow and its height of the three study sites were analyzed based on topographic properties and land use. Management strategies for preserving and enhancing their temperature reduction functions were suggested. The cold air produced in the vicinity of Gudeoksan was not fully developed and spread because of the high-density development at the border of Jeongmaek. Since high pressures of development are expected at the border, high conservation policies are required. In the vicinity of Goheonsan, where the agricultural complex and industrial park are located, cold air flows well throughout the entire study site thanks to fully developed cold air in the wide, flat valley. Hence, plans to maintain the current cold air flow are required, and conservation plans to mitigate future developments are also needed in the flat valley. The cold air in Unjusan and the vicinity with its complex and narrow mountain valleys gradually develops into valley bottoms. In order to take advantage of the terrain, the valley near the cold air production areas are preserved. In particular, special plans are required to prevent damage to the cold air layer near Youngcheonho Lake, where the highest height of cold air was recorded due to the closed and lower terrain feature. This study could support the establishment of systematic management plans of Nakdong-Jeongmaek to preserve and enhance its green air conditioning functions.