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Ecology & Environment
Mahesh

21/05/22 20:20 PM IST

Urban heat island

In News
  • Several sections of the country are experiencing extreme temperatures. Cities, in particular, are significantly hotter than rural places. The reason for this is a phenomenon known as – “urban heat island effect”.
Urban Heat Island 
  • An urban heat island occurs when a city experiences much warmer temperatures than nearby rural areas.
  • The differences are primarily due to heat being trapped within environments that resemble concrete jungles.
  • The temperature variation can range between 3 to 5 degrees Celsius.
Causes 
  • Carbon-absorbing materials such as asphalt and concrete are required for the constructing buildings in cities. They trap a lot of heat, which raises the average surface temperature of cities.
  • Many structures in urban areas have dark surfaces, which reduce albedo and increase heat absorption.
  • Tall buildings, as well as the small streets that commonly accompany them, obstruct air circulation, diminish wind speed, and hence reduce any natural cooling effects. The effect is known as the Urban Canyon Effect.
  • Use of fossil fuels adds up to the heat effect.
  • Reduced tree cover and green areas.
Source- Indian Express 

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