The article aims to analyse, criticize and recommend urban planning tools for the main actors and... more The article aims to analyse, criticize and recommend urban planning tools for the main actors and stakeholders involved in the planning process using a mixture of techniques such as remote sensing, GIS, Web-GIS, crowdsourcing in order to support availability of data and the transparency of the decision making process. The paper attempts to gather a list of proper urban planning measures for the specified objective based upon the results attained in the “Urban Climate Study of Bucharest” project financed by a Romanian-Swiss Program, which focused on the study of characteristics such as urban development, land use, urban sprawl, urban heat island and green space situation.
An increasing number of people living in urban environments and the expected increase in long las... more An increasing number of people living in urban environments and the expected increase in long lasting heat waves makes the study of temperature distribution one of the major tasks in urban climatology, especially considering human health and heat stress. This excess heat is often underestimated because stations from national meteorological services are limited in numbers and are not representing the entire urban area with typically higher nocturnal temperatures, especially in densely built-up environments. For a majority of the population, heat stress is consequently monitored insufficiently. In this study, the factors influencing the nocturnal urban heat island have been evaluated in detail and have been tested using different spatial resolutions. A multiple linear regression model has been developed with predictors resulting from different data sources to model the urban air temperature distribution continuously. Results show that various datasets can be used for the prediction of the heat island distribution with comparable results, ideally run on a 200 m grid. Validation using random sampling indicated a RMSE clearly below the standard deviation of the measurements with an average around~0.15 • C. The regression coefficients are varying within the nocturnal runs with best results around 22:00 CET (R 2 > 0.9).
views its different divisions as complementary disciplines which are committed to an integrated a... more views its different divisions as complementary disciplines which are committed to an integrated approach in geography. It is this philosophy which recently motivated the establishment of a new chair for Environmental Geosciences and Soil Science. At the centre of Geography at the University of Basel lies the relationship between humans and their environ¬ ment, viewed from a physical and human geographical perspective, and combined with biogeographical and climatological approaches. This article first highlights common principles of the different disciplines. This will be followed by a brief presentation of research topics -including both practical projects as well as underlying methodical and theoretical modeis. Finally, the integrated approach will be related to current Standards of geographie theory. 2 Conceptional and methodical principles Geography is the science of «human-space-environment» and is founded on two basic theories: (1) the theory of complex (holistic) geographie per¬ spectives and (2) the theory of geographie dimensions. The former relates to reality and its complex domain which can be resolved only in research but not in reality. This has consequences on research approaches and methodologies, as well as on the results obtained and their impact. The latter also affects methodological approaches. It does not only categorize formally the so-called geographie dimensions (Bordsdorf 1999; Leser 1997; Leser & Schneider-Sliwa 1999; Neef 1967) but refers to them as «tools» for specific spatial research because they determine the choiee of methods and thereby also the impact of the results. That the public has understood this theory, albeit rather intuitively and not resulting from theoretical reflection, is shown by the widely used terms «local», «regional», «zonal» and «global» dimensions and certainly adds to the viability of any environmental work -be it in the field of man or economy, be it in the field of nature, landscape or resources.
This paper attempts to illustrate the complexity of thermal infrared (TIR) data analysis for urba... more This paper attempts to illustrate the complexity of thermal infrared (TIR) data analysis for urban heat island studies. While a certain shift regarding the use of correct scientific nomenclature (using the term “surface urban heat island”) could be observed, the literature is full of incorrect conclusions and results using erroneous terminology. This seems to be the result of the ease of such literature implicitly suggesting that “warm surfaces” result in “high air temperatures”, ultimately drawing conclusions for urban planning authorities. It seems that the UHI is easy to measure, easy to explain, easy to find, and easy to illustrate—simply take a TIR-image. Due to this apparent simplicity, many authors seem to jump into UHI studies without fully understanding the nature of the phenomenon as far as time and spatial scales, physical processes, and the numerous methodological pitfalls inherent to UHI studies are concerned. This paper attempts to point out some of the many pitfalls i...
ISPRS - International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, 2016
3D geo-information is essential for urban climate studies. It is obvious that both natural enviro... more 3D geo-information is essential for urban climate studies. It is obvious that both natural environment and built-up environment play the fundamental role in defining the climatic conditions for urban areas, which affect the quality of human life and human comfort. The paper presents the main categories of 3D geo-information used in urban climate studies and roles in creating and operating the numerical models specially designed to simulate urban planning scenarios and improvement of the urban climate situation.
2013 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium - IGARSS, 2013
ABSTRACT The increasing availability of Earth Observation (EO) technologies has provided new oppo... more ABSTRACT The increasing availability of Earth Observation (EO) technologies has provided new opportunities for a wide range of urban applications, such as mapping and monitoring of the urban environment, socio-economic estimations, characterization of urban climate, analysis of regional and global impacts and urban security and emergency preparedness. However, a gap exists between the research-focused results offered by the urban EO community and the application of these data and products by urban planners and decision makers. Hence, the main objective of the GEOURBAN (ExploitinG Earth Observation in sUstainable uRBan plAnning & maNagement) project is to bridge this gap by demonstrating the ability of current and future EO systems to depict parameters of urban structure and urban environmental quality at detailed level. This paper introduces the conceptual approach towards the integration of EO-based geo-information into urban and spatial planning and presents and discusses first results of the indicators developed and evaluated by using remote sensing data.
Studying urban air-transport phenomena is highly complex, because of the heterogenous flow patter... more Studying urban air-transport phenomena is highly complex, because of the heterogenous flow patterns that can arise. The main reason for these is the variable topology of urban areas, however, there is a large number of influencing variables such as meteorological conditions (e.g., wind situation, temperature) and anthropogenic factors such as traffic emissions. During a one-year CO 2 measurement campaign in the city of Basel, Switzerland, steep CO 2 gradients were measured around a large building. The concentration differences showed a strong dependency on the local flow regimes. Analysis of the field data alone did not provide a complete explanation for the mechanisms underlying the observed phenomena. The key numerical parameters were defined and the influence of turbulent kinetic energy dependency on the time interval for the Reynolds decomposition was studied. A Reynolds-Average Navier-Stokes Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) approach was applied in the study area and the CO 2 concentrations were simulated for six significant meteorological situations and compared to the measured data. Two flow regimes dependent on the wind situation, which either enhanced or suppressed the concentration of CO 2 in the street canyon, were identified. The enhancement of CO 2 in the street canyon led to a large difference in CO 2 concentration between the backyard-and street-sides of a building forming the one wall of the canyon. The specific characteristics of the flow patterns led to the identification of the processes determining the observed differences in CO 2 concentrations. The combined analysis of measurement and modeling showed the importance of reliable field measurements and CFD simulations with a high spatial resolution to assess transport mechanisms in urban areas. Keywords CFD • CO 2 transport • Urban areas • Turbulent kinetic energy • RANS
During the Basel Urban Boundary Layer Experiment (BUBBLE) in 2002, micrometeorological in-situ da... more During the Basel Urban Boundary Layer Experiment (BUBBLE) in 2002, micrometeorological in-situ data (radiation fluxes, turbulent fluxes, wind speed, air temperature etc.) has been acquired at different sites by a variety of sensors. Although there were many sites for measurements, the spatial aspects of the energy and heat flux balance can only be taken into account with remote sensing methods. Therefore multiple satellite images from different platforms (NOAA-AVHRR, MODIS and LANDSAT ETM+) covering the BUBBLE-timeslot have been acquired, processed and analysed. From atmospheric corrected thermal data, broadband albedo and SWIM (Short Wave Irradiation Model) the net radiation has been computed. Together with a high resolution digital elevation model (DEM) a 1 x 1 meter resolution digital city surface model of the surroundings of the urban sites has been also acquired. From these datasets, the ground heat flux of the City and its surroundings has been modelled with different methods ...
The project 'Climate Analysis of the Region of Basel' (KABA) was carried out in cooperation with ... more The project 'Climate Analysis of the Region of Basel' (KABA) was carried out in cooperation with several planning authorities to produce climate analysis and planning recommendation maps at scales of 1 : 100,000 and 1 : 25,000. These maps enable urban and regional planners to estimate impacts of land-use changes on local climate and air quality. Conceptual numerical models receiving spatially distributed input data from a geographic information system derived the information content of the maps. By introducing novel concepts concerning land-use and ventilation, the dominant controls for local climate and air quality, automated, knowledge-based classification schemes for climate analysis were developed and applied. The same model technique was utilized for a spatially distributed assignment of planning objectives to the study region. Three different problem sections are considered: ventilation, air quality and thermal situation. Several planning objectives were distinguished within each problem section, and each element of a 100 m grid was individually evaluated by automated, knowledge-based classification procedures. This approach provides a high degree of transparency and objectivity in place of subjective (and thus irreproducible) assessments by experts. Transfer of the procedures to other regions could be successfully demonstrated in a project named 'Climate Analysis Maps for Planning Aspects of Solothurn/ CH (CAMPAS/CH
Variations of surface temperature, albedo, emissivity and net radiation in different urban and ru... more Variations of surface temperature, albedo, emissivity and net radiation in different urban and rural classes in an arid area were investigated. Four ASTER satellite scenes with channels from the very near infrared to the thermal infrared were analyzed. For a better understanding of the spatial coherences a land use classification was built. The classes were then spatially and temporally compared. The investigations show a distinct daily cool island for Dubai and daily cooling areas of Abu Dhabi city and its surrounding mangrove areas. Net radiation is mainly controlled by the albedo. Therefore the net radiation is higher in the urban areas, where the albedo is lower than in the bright desert areas. The surface temperatures behave contrary to the net radiation and are mostly correlated with the availability of water. This work describes part of the urban-rural climatologically complex and contributes particularly to the different situations of coastal cities in an arid environment. KURZFASSUNG: Es wurden in verschiedenen urbanen und ruralen Klassen in aridem Gebiet Oberflächentemperatur-, Albedo-, Emissivitäts-sowie Strahlungsbilanzvariationen untersucht. Dazu wurden vier ASTER Satellitenbilder mit Kanälen vom nahen bis zum thermalen Infrarot analysiert. Um die räumlichen Zusammenhänge besser zu verstehen, wurde eine Landnutzungsklassifikation erstellt. Die Landnutzungsklassen wurden anschliessend räumlich und zeitlich verglichen. Die Untersuchungen zeigten eine ausgeprägte tägliche Kälteinsel in Dubai und tägliche Kältegebiete in Abu Dhabi und den umliegenden Mangrove-Gebieten. Die Strahlungsbilanz wird hauptsächlich durch die Albedo kontrolliert. Deshalb ist die Strahlungsbilanz in urbanen Räumen mit niedriger Albedo höher. Die Oberflächentemperaturen verhalten sich invers zur Strahlungsbilanz und sind v. a. mit der Verfügbarkeit von Wasser korreliert.
... 52 DETERMINATION OF THE AERODYNAMIC RESISTANCE TO HEAT USING MORPHOMETRIC METHODS Corinne M. ... more ... 52 DETERMINATION OF THE AERODYNAMIC RESISTANCE TO HEAT USING MORPHOMETRIC METHODS Corinne M. Frey, and Eberhard Parlow University of Basel, Switzerland; corinne.frey(at)freenet.ch, eberhard.parlow(at)unibas.ch ABSTRACT ...
Following results of regional climatic models, the regional impact of climate change in the south... more Following results of regional climatic models, the regional impact of climate change in the southern Rhine valley in Central Europe will result in hotter and dryer summer seasons. Because this region is already the warmest and dryest area in Germany, it seems to be favourite to perform interdisciplinary research on climate change impacts. Which modifications in plant water supply will result in which yield changes and in which carbon stock changes in relation to the sense of the protocol of Kyoto? The international working group defined these questions to be a research task in finding answers. Test plants are wheat (France), pine (Germany) and corn (Switzerland). We have different water use efficiencies (C3-and C4-plants). With new research methods, jointly applying the individual specific contributions of the four partners it will be possible to explain the relations between the atmospheric carbon supply and the biomass production and its variations in time and related to the weather. The project consists in simultaneous measurements at the three sites combined with isotopic analyses in the laboratory and joint data analyses. Micrometeorological flux and storage term estimates of CO 2 are completed with physiological transpiration measurements by means of 13 C and 18 O tracers and porometric measurements. Then budget calculations are required to estimate the storage capacity of the ecosystems under investigation. This will enable the three states involved in the project to present more precise capacity calculations in carbon stock of the vegetation and carbon exchange with the atmosphere.
This study highlights the possibilities and constraints of determining instantaneous spatial surf... more This study highlights the possibilities and constraints of determining instantaneous spatial surface radiation and land heat fluxes from satellite images in a heterogeneous urban area and its agricultural and natural surroundings. Net radiation was determined using ASTER satellite data and MODTRAN radiative transfer calculations. The soil heat flux was estimated with two empirical methods using radiative terms and vegetation indices. The turbulent heat fluxes finally were determined with the LUMPS (Local-Scale Urban Meteorological Parameterization Scheme) and the ARM (Aerodynamic Resistance Method) method. Results were compared to in situ measured ground data. The performance of the atmospheric correction was found to be crucial for the estimation of the radiation balance and thereafter the heat fluxes. The soil heat flux could be modeled satisfactorily by both of the applied approaches. The LUMPS method, for the turbulent fluxes, appeals by its simplicity. However, a correct spatial estimation of associated parameters could not always be achieved. The ARM method showed the better spatial results for the turbulent heat fluxes. In comparison with the in situ measurements however, the LUMPS approach rendered the better results than the ARM method.
Extensive urbanization and growth of population density have acquired a paramount interest toward... more Extensive urbanization and growth of population density have acquired a paramount interest towards a sustainable urban development. Earth Observation (EO) is an important source of information required for urban planning and management. The availability of EO data provides the immense opportunity for urban environmental indicators development easily derived by remote sensors. In this study, the state of the art methods were employed to develop urban planning and management relevant indicators that can be evaluated by using EO data. The importance of this approach lies on providing alternatives for improving urban planning and management, without consuming time and resources in collecting field or archived data. The evaluated urban indicators were integrated into a Web-based Information System that was developed for online exploitation. The results for three case studies are therefore available online and can be used by urban planners and stakeholders in supporting their planning decisions.
The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 2007
An important epidemiologic feature of schistosomiasis is the focal distribution of the disease. T... more An important epidemiologic feature of schistosomiasis is the focal distribution of the disease. Thus, the identification of high-risk communities is an essential first step for targeting interventions in an efficient and costeffective manner. We used a remotely-sensed digital elevation model (DEM), derived hydrologic features (i.e., stream order, and catchment area), and fitted Bayesian geostatistical models to assess associations between environmental factors and infection with Schistosoma mansoni among more than 4,000 school children from the region of Man in western Côte d'Ivoire. At the unit of the school, we found significant correlations between the infection prevalence of S. mansoni and stream order of the nearest river, water catchment area, and altitude. In conclusion, the use of a freely available 90 m high-resolution DEM, geographic information system applications, and Bayesian spatial modeling facilitates risk prediction for S. mansoni, and is a powerful approach for risk profiling of other neglected tropical diseases that are pervasive in the developing world.
Slush-flows of a large variety of magnitudes were observed during three field campaigns to Liefde... more Slush-flows of a large variety of magnitudes were observed during three field campaigns to Liefdefjorden, northwestern Spitsbergen, and one campaign to Kärke-vagge, northern Sweden. In the latter campaign, the release and movement of a slush torrent was documented on video and in photographs. Meteorological and snow-hydrological measurements carried out during these campaigns were analysed with respect to slushflow initiation due to snow-melt.Since slushflows are quite common in polar and sub-polar drainage basins (although they are not restricted to these regions), specific atmospheric and hydrological boundary condittons must be fulfilled for slushflow initiation due to snowmelt. Radiative fluxes, air temperatures and wind velocities are the most important atmospheric variables, while snow depth, depth of the water-saturated layer, hydraulic conductivity and snow structure are the primary snow variables of interest.It has been shown that slushflows can be released due to energy in...
Need for better understanding and more accurate estimation of radiative fluxes in urban environme... more Need for better understanding and more accurate estimation of radiative fluxes in urban environments, specifically urban surface albedo and exitance, motivates development of new remote sensing and three-dimensional (3D) radiative transfer (RT) modeling methods. The discrete anisotropic radiative transfer (DART) model, one of the most comprehensive physically based 3D models simulating Earth/atmosphere radiation interactions, was used in combination with satellite data (e.g., Landsat-8 observations) to better parameterize the radiative budget components of cities, such as Basel in Switzerland. After presenting DART and its recent RT modeling functions, we present a methodological concept for estimating urban fluxes using any satellite image data.
ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information, 2014
Sustainable development is a key component in urban studies. Earth Observation (EO) can play a va... more Sustainable development is a key component in urban studies. Earth Observation (EO) can play a valuable role in sustainable urban development and planning, since it represents a powerful data source with the potential to provide a number of relevant urban sustainability indicators. To this end, in this paper we propose a conceptual list of EO-based indicators capable of supporting urban planning and management. Three cities with different typologies, namely Basel, Switzerland; Tel Aviv, Israel; and Tyumen, Russia were selected as case studies. The EO-based indicators are defined to effectively record the physical
The article aims to analyse, criticize and recommend urban planning tools for the main actors and... more The article aims to analyse, criticize and recommend urban planning tools for the main actors and stakeholders involved in the planning process using a mixture of techniques such as remote sensing, GIS, Web-GIS, crowdsourcing in order to support availability of data and the transparency of the decision making process. The paper attempts to gather a list of proper urban planning measures for the specified objective based upon the results attained in the “Urban Climate Study of Bucharest” project financed by a Romanian-Swiss Program, which focused on the study of characteristics such as urban development, land use, urban sprawl, urban heat island and green space situation.
An increasing number of people living in urban environments and the expected increase in long las... more An increasing number of people living in urban environments and the expected increase in long lasting heat waves makes the study of temperature distribution one of the major tasks in urban climatology, especially considering human health and heat stress. This excess heat is often underestimated because stations from national meteorological services are limited in numbers and are not representing the entire urban area with typically higher nocturnal temperatures, especially in densely built-up environments. For a majority of the population, heat stress is consequently monitored insufficiently. In this study, the factors influencing the nocturnal urban heat island have been evaluated in detail and have been tested using different spatial resolutions. A multiple linear regression model has been developed with predictors resulting from different data sources to model the urban air temperature distribution continuously. Results show that various datasets can be used for the prediction of the heat island distribution with comparable results, ideally run on a 200 m grid. Validation using random sampling indicated a RMSE clearly below the standard deviation of the measurements with an average around~0.15 • C. The regression coefficients are varying within the nocturnal runs with best results around 22:00 CET (R 2 > 0.9).
views its different divisions as complementary disciplines which are committed to an integrated a... more views its different divisions as complementary disciplines which are committed to an integrated approach in geography. It is this philosophy which recently motivated the establishment of a new chair for Environmental Geosciences and Soil Science. At the centre of Geography at the University of Basel lies the relationship between humans and their environ¬ ment, viewed from a physical and human geographical perspective, and combined with biogeographical and climatological approaches. This article first highlights common principles of the different disciplines. This will be followed by a brief presentation of research topics -including both practical projects as well as underlying methodical and theoretical modeis. Finally, the integrated approach will be related to current Standards of geographie theory. 2 Conceptional and methodical principles Geography is the science of «human-space-environment» and is founded on two basic theories: (1) the theory of complex (holistic) geographie per¬ spectives and (2) the theory of geographie dimensions. The former relates to reality and its complex domain which can be resolved only in research but not in reality. This has consequences on research approaches and methodologies, as well as on the results obtained and their impact. The latter also affects methodological approaches. It does not only categorize formally the so-called geographie dimensions (Bordsdorf 1999; Leser 1997; Leser & Schneider-Sliwa 1999; Neef 1967) but refers to them as «tools» for specific spatial research because they determine the choiee of methods and thereby also the impact of the results. That the public has understood this theory, albeit rather intuitively and not resulting from theoretical reflection, is shown by the widely used terms «local», «regional», «zonal» and «global» dimensions and certainly adds to the viability of any environmental work -be it in the field of man or economy, be it in the field of nature, landscape or resources.
This paper attempts to illustrate the complexity of thermal infrared (TIR) data analysis for urba... more This paper attempts to illustrate the complexity of thermal infrared (TIR) data analysis for urban heat island studies. While a certain shift regarding the use of correct scientific nomenclature (using the term “surface urban heat island”) could be observed, the literature is full of incorrect conclusions and results using erroneous terminology. This seems to be the result of the ease of such literature implicitly suggesting that “warm surfaces” result in “high air temperatures”, ultimately drawing conclusions for urban planning authorities. It seems that the UHI is easy to measure, easy to explain, easy to find, and easy to illustrate—simply take a TIR-image. Due to this apparent simplicity, many authors seem to jump into UHI studies without fully understanding the nature of the phenomenon as far as time and spatial scales, physical processes, and the numerous methodological pitfalls inherent to UHI studies are concerned. This paper attempts to point out some of the many pitfalls i...
ISPRS - International Archives of the Photogrammetry, Remote Sensing and Spatial Information Sciences, 2016
3D geo-information is essential for urban climate studies. It is obvious that both natural enviro... more 3D geo-information is essential for urban climate studies. It is obvious that both natural environment and built-up environment play the fundamental role in defining the climatic conditions for urban areas, which affect the quality of human life and human comfort. The paper presents the main categories of 3D geo-information used in urban climate studies and roles in creating and operating the numerical models specially designed to simulate urban planning scenarios and improvement of the urban climate situation.
2013 IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium - IGARSS, 2013
ABSTRACT The increasing availability of Earth Observation (EO) technologies has provided new oppo... more ABSTRACT The increasing availability of Earth Observation (EO) technologies has provided new opportunities for a wide range of urban applications, such as mapping and monitoring of the urban environment, socio-economic estimations, characterization of urban climate, analysis of regional and global impacts and urban security and emergency preparedness. However, a gap exists between the research-focused results offered by the urban EO community and the application of these data and products by urban planners and decision makers. Hence, the main objective of the GEOURBAN (ExploitinG Earth Observation in sUstainable uRBan plAnning & maNagement) project is to bridge this gap by demonstrating the ability of current and future EO systems to depict parameters of urban structure and urban environmental quality at detailed level. This paper introduces the conceptual approach towards the integration of EO-based geo-information into urban and spatial planning and presents and discusses first results of the indicators developed and evaluated by using remote sensing data.
Studying urban air-transport phenomena is highly complex, because of the heterogenous flow patter... more Studying urban air-transport phenomena is highly complex, because of the heterogenous flow patterns that can arise. The main reason for these is the variable topology of urban areas, however, there is a large number of influencing variables such as meteorological conditions (e.g., wind situation, temperature) and anthropogenic factors such as traffic emissions. During a one-year CO 2 measurement campaign in the city of Basel, Switzerland, steep CO 2 gradients were measured around a large building. The concentration differences showed a strong dependency on the local flow regimes. Analysis of the field data alone did not provide a complete explanation for the mechanisms underlying the observed phenomena. The key numerical parameters were defined and the influence of turbulent kinetic energy dependency on the time interval for the Reynolds decomposition was studied. A Reynolds-Average Navier-Stokes Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) approach was applied in the study area and the CO 2 concentrations were simulated for six significant meteorological situations and compared to the measured data. Two flow regimes dependent on the wind situation, which either enhanced or suppressed the concentration of CO 2 in the street canyon, were identified. The enhancement of CO 2 in the street canyon led to a large difference in CO 2 concentration between the backyard-and street-sides of a building forming the one wall of the canyon. The specific characteristics of the flow patterns led to the identification of the processes determining the observed differences in CO 2 concentrations. The combined analysis of measurement and modeling showed the importance of reliable field measurements and CFD simulations with a high spatial resolution to assess transport mechanisms in urban areas. Keywords CFD • CO 2 transport • Urban areas • Turbulent kinetic energy • RANS
During the Basel Urban Boundary Layer Experiment (BUBBLE) in 2002, micrometeorological in-situ da... more During the Basel Urban Boundary Layer Experiment (BUBBLE) in 2002, micrometeorological in-situ data (radiation fluxes, turbulent fluxes, wind speed, air temperature etc.) has been acquired at different sites by a variety of sensors. Although there were many sites for measurements, the spatial aspects of the energy and heat flux balance can only be taken into account with remote sensing methods. Therefore multiple satellite images from different platforms (NOAA-AVHRR, MODIS and LANDSAT ETM+) covering the BUBBLE-timeslot have been acquired, processed and analysed. From atmospheric corrected thermal data, broadband albedo and SWIM (Short Wave Irradiation Model) the net radiation has been computed. Together with a high resolution digital elevation model (DEM) a 1 x 1 meter resolution digital city surface model of the surroundings of the urban sites has been also acquired. From these datasets, the ground heat flux of the City and its surroundings has been modelled with different methods ...
The project 'Climate Analysis of the Region of Basel' (KABA) was carried out in cooperation with ... more The project 'Climate Analysis of the Region of Basel' (KABA) was carried out in cooperation with several planning authorities to produce climate analysis and planning recommendation maps at scales of 1 : 100,000 and 1 : 25,000. These maps enable urban and regional planners to estimate impacts of land-use changes on local climate and air quality. Conceptual numerical models receiving spatially distributed input data from a geographic information system derived the information content of the maps. By introducing novel concepts concerning land-use and ventilation, the dominant controls for local climate and air quality, automated, knowledge-based classification schemes for climate analysis were developed and applied. The same model technique was utilized for a spatially distributed assignment of planning objectives to the study region. Three different problem sections are considered: ventilation, air quality and thermal situation. Several planning objectives were distinguished within each problem section, and each element of a 100 m grid was individually evaluated by automated, knowledge-based classification procedures. This approach provides a high degree of transparency and objectivity in place of subjective (and thus irreproducible) assessments by experts. Transfer of the procedures to other regions could be successfully demonstrated in a project named 'Climate Analysis Maps for Planning Aspects of Solothurn/ CH (CAMPAS/CH
Variations of surface temperature, albedo, emissivity and net radiation in different urban and ru... more Variations of surface temperature, albedo, emissivity and net radiation in different urban and rural classes in an arid area were investigated. Four ASTER satellite scenes with channels from the very near infrared to the thermal infrared were analyzed. For a better understanding of the spatial coherences a land use classification was built. The classes were then spatially and temporally compared. The investigations show a distinct daily cool island for Dubai and daily cooling areas of Abu Dhabi city and its surrounding mangrove areas. Net radiation is mainly controlled by the albedo. Therefore the net radiation is higher in the urban areas, where the albedo is lower than in the bright desert areas. The surface temperatures behave contrary to the net radiation and are mostly correlated with the availability of water. This work describes part of the urban-rural climatologically complex and contributes particularly to the different situations of coastal cities in an arid environment. KURZFASSUNG: Es wurden in verschiedenen urbanen und ruralen Klassen in aridem Gebiet Oberflächentemperatur-, Albedo-, Emissivitäts-sowie Strahlungsbilanzvariationen untersucht. Dazu wurden vier ASTER Satellitenbilder mit Kanälen vom nahen bis zum thermalen Infrarot analysiert. Um die räumlichen Zusammenhänge besser zu verstehen, wurde eine Landnutzungsklassifikation erstellt. Die Landnutzungsklassen wurden anschliessend räumlich und zeitlich verglichen. Die Untersuchungen zeigten eine ausgeprägte tägliche Kälteinsel in Dubai und tägliche Kältegebiete in Abu Dhabi und den umliegenden Mangrove-Gebieten. Die Strahlungsbilanz wird hauptsächlich durch die Albedo kontrolliert. Deshalb ist die Strahlungsbilanz in urbanen Räumen mit niedriger Albedo höher. Die Oberflächentemperaturen verhalten sich invers zur Strahlungsbilanz und sind v. a. mit der Verfügbarkeit von Wasser korreliert.
... 52 DETERMINATION OF THE AERODYNAMIC RESISTANCE TO HEAT USING MORPHOMETRIC METHODS Corinne M. ... more ... 52 DETERMINATION OF THE AERODYNAMIC RESISTANCE TO HEAT USING MORPHOMETRIC METHODS Corinne M. Frey, and Eberhard Parlow University of Basel, Switzerland; corinne.frey(at)freenet.ch, eberhard.parlow(at)unibas.ch ABSTRACT ...
Following results of regional climatic models, the regional impact of climate change in the south... more Following results of regional climatic models, the regional impact of climate change in the southern Rhine valley in Central Europe will result in hotter and dryer summer seasons. Because this region is already the warmest and dryest area in Germany, it seems to be favourite to perform interdisciplinary research on climate change impacts. Which modifications in plant water supply will result in which yield changes and in which carbon stock changes in relation to the sense of the protocol of Kyoto? The international working group defined these questions to be a research task in finding answers. Test plants are wheat (France), pine (Germany) and corn (Switzerland). We have different water use efficiencies (C3-and C4-plants). With new research methods, jointly applying the individual specific contributions of the four partners it will be possible to explain the relations between the atmospheric carbon supply and the biomass production and its variations in time and related to the weather. The project consists in simultaneous measurements at the three sites combined with isotopic analyses in the laboratory and joint data analyses. Micrometeorological flux and storage term estimates of CO 2 are completed with physiological transpiration measurements by means of 13 C and 18 O tracers and porometric measurements. Then budget calculations are required to estimate the storage capacity of the ecosystems under investigation. This will enable the three states involved in the project to present more precise capacity calculations in carbon stock of the vegetation and carbon exchange with the atmosphere.
This study highlights the possibilities and constraints of determining instantaneous spatial surf... more This study highlights the possibilities and constraints of determining instantaneous spatial surface radiation and land heat fluxes from satellite images in a heterogeneous urban area and its agricultural and natural surroundings. Net radiation was determined using ASTER satellite data and MODTRAN radiative transfer calculations. The soil heat flux was estimated with two empirical methods using radiative terms and vegetation indices. The turbulent heat fluxes finally were determined with the LUMPS (Local-Scale Urban Meteorological Parameterization Scheme) and the ARM (Aerodynamic Resistance Method) method. Results were compared to in situ measured ground data. The performance of the atmospheric correction was found to be crucial for the estimation of the radiation balance and thereafter the heat fluxes. The soil heat flux could be modeled satisfactorily by both of the applied approaches. The LUMPS method, for the turbulent fluxes, appeals by its simplicity. However, a correct spatial estimation of associated parameters could not always be achieved. The ARM method showed the better spatial results for the turbulent heat fluxes. In comparison with the in situ measurements however, the LUMPS approach rendered the better results than the ARM method.
Extensive urbanization and growth of population density have acquired a paramount interest toward... more Extensive urbanization and growth of population density have acquired a paramount interest towards a sustainable urban development. Earth Observation (EO) is an important source of information required for urban planning and management. The availability of EO data provides the immense opportunity for urban environmental indicators development easily derived by remote sensors. In this study, the state of the art methods were employed to develop urban planning and management relevant indicators that can be evaluated by using EO data. The importance of this approach lies on providing alternatives for improving urban planning and management, without consuming time and resources in collecting field or archived data. The evaluated urban indicators were integrated into a Web-based Information System that was developed for online exploitation. The results for three case studies are therefore available online and can be used by urban planners and stakeholders in supporting their planning decisions.
The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene, 2007
An important epidemiologic feature of schistosomiasis is the focal distribution of the disease. T... more An important epidemiologic feature of schistosomiasis is the focal distribution of the disease. Thus, the identification of high-risk communities is an essential first step for targeting interventions in an efficient and costeffective manner. We used a remotely-sensed digital elevation model (DEM), derived hydrologic features (i.e., stream order, and catchment area), and fitted Bayesian geostatistical models to assess associations between environmental factors and infection with Schistosoma mansoni among more than 4,000 school children from the region of Man in western Côte d'Ivoire. At the unit of the school, we found significant correlations between the infection prevalence of S. mansoni and stream order of the nearest river, water catchment area, and altitude. In conclusion, the use of a freely available 90 m high-resolution DEM, geographic information system applications, and Bayesian spatial modeling facilitates risk prediction for S. mansoni, and is a powerful approach for risk profiling of other neglected tropical diseases that are pervasive in the developing world.
Slush-flows of a large variety of magnitudes were observed during three field campaigns to Liefde... more Slush-flows of a large variety of magnitudes were observed during three field campaigns to Liefdefjorden, northwestern Spitsbergen, and one campaign to Kärke-vagge, northern Sweden. In the latter campaign, the release and movement of a slush torrent was documented on video and in photographs. Meteorological and snow-hydrological measurements carried out during these campaigns were analysed with respect to slushflow initiation due to snow-melt.Since slushflows are quite common in polar and sub-polar drainage basins (although they are not restricted to these regions), specific atmospheric and hydrological boundary condittons must be fulfilled for slushflow initiation due to snowmelt. Radiative fluxes, air temperatures and wind velocities are the most important atmospheric variables, while snow depth, depth of the water-saturated layer, hydraulic conductivity and snow structure are the primary snow variables of interest.It has been shown that slushflows can be released due to energy in...
Need for better understanding and more accurate estimation of radiative fluxes in urban environme... more Need for better understanding and more accurate estimation of radiative fluxes in urban environments, specifically urban surface albedo and exitance, motivates development of new remote sensing and three-dimensional (3D) radiative transfer (RT) modeling methods. The discrete anisotropic radiative transfer (DART) model, one of the most comprehensive physically based 3D models simulating Earth/atmosphere radiation interactions, was used in combination with satellite data (e.g., Landsat-8 observations) to better parameterize the radiative budget components of cities, such as Basel in Switzerland. After presenting DART and its recent RT modeling functions, we present a methodological concept for estimating urban fluxes using any satellite image data.
ISPRS International Journal of Geo-Information, 2014
Sustainable development is a key component in urban studies. Earth Observation (EO) can play a va... more Sustainable development is a key component in urban studies. Earth Observation (EO) can play a valuable role in sustainable urban development and planning, since it represents a powerful data source with the potential to provide a number of relevant urban sustainability indicators. To this end, in this paper we propose a conceptual list of EO-based indicators capable of supporting urban planning and management. Three cities with different typologies, namely Basel, Switzerland; Tel Aviv, Israel; and Tyumen, Russia were selected as case studies. The EO-based indicators are defined to effectively record the physical
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Papers by E. Parlow