Abstract
Comparison of incoming long-wave radiation at night in urban and rural locations has been achieved via direct measurements. Counter radiation and air temperature were continuously monitored during automobile traverses across the Island of Montreal on clear nights. Results show that urban counter radiation values are consistently slightly higher than rural values. The cross-Montreal radiation profiles closely parallel the form of the urban heat island.
Comparison of measured counter radiation with that computed from empirical equations shows a fair absolute agreement, but important urban/rural differences. Analysis of these differences suggests that the urban counter radiation anomaly is explainable on the basis of the vertical temperature structure of the city alone, without need to consider emissivity changes brought about by air pollution. This suggests that the increased counter radiation is a result, not a cause of the urban heat island.
Estimates of net long-wave radiation show only small urban/rural differences. Thus the increased counter radiation appears to be nullified by an increased emission from the warmer city surface. The study indicates that radiative exchanges probably play a minor role in nocturnal urban/rural surface energy balance differences.
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Oke, T.R., Fuggle, R.F. Comparison of urban/rural counter and net radiation at night. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 2, 290–308 (1972). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02184771
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02184771