26 JAN 2022 (WED) 14:05-14:35

Modelling the effects of vehicular heat and urban sprawl on urban heat and pollution island under extreme heat conditions

Mr CHANG Man Hei, Jeffrey PhD Student, Department of Geography, HKU

Abstract:

Human-climate-environment interactions is identified as a complicated causal relationship between the impacts from anthroposphere to natural atmospheric environment and vice versa. In the nexus of irreversible changing climate from global warming and inevitable urbanization process over the globe, these are increasing concerns associated with the extreme hot weather/heat-wave events inside urban built environment. As anthropogenic activities and urban sprawl contributes a complex energy exchange in urban built environment, the assessment of Urban Heat and Pollution Islands are always challenging. In this thesis, I will explore the use of measurement and modelling techniques in understanding the thermal energy, wind, and pollutant dispersion patterns inside the urban area. Citizen science meteorological network called ‘Co-WIN2.0’ will be deployed at a community-schools level to utilize the measurement capability in heterogeneous urban environment, meanwhile the synergy in ‘Tropical Cyclone (TC)-Heat’ compound effect from cyclones’ peripheral circulation, regional urbanization and local vehicular heat contribution will be assess through micro-scale and meso-scale numerical modelling tools. Throughout the study, regional and local impacts on heat energy exchange and pollutant dispersion will be studied to suggest how the anthroposphere and atmosphere interacts and contributes to formation of Urban Heat and Pollution Islands in urbanized megacities.