Impact of urban heat island on the sea-land breeze around Incheon port area
권용범
Kwon, Yongbum
This study investigates the characteristics of the urban heat island by examining the variation in intensity of anthropogenic heat around the Incheon portal area. Higher anthropogenic heat due to the accelerated global climate change has an impact on the strength and properties of local wind circulations, particularly in urban areas. Incheon is the second largest port-city in the Republic of Korea and contains diverse air pollution sources such as a large population, major industry, and ample large marine vessels. As a result of the higher intensity of anthropogenic heat around the Incheon region, the sea breeze is gaining strength, while the strength of land breeze is rapidly decreasing. This sea-land breeze pattern created by the increasing anthropogenic heat around the urban area has significant implications because the strong sea breeze can easily transport maritime air emission to deep inland area, whereas the weak land breeze barely disperses and/or dilutes the accumulated air pollution from the port and city to the surrounding areas. In other words, climate change directly influences anthropogenic heat and will affect not only human society, but also the atmosphere, especially in urban areas. Therefore, the considerations of this study are meaningful to provide further understanding between local wind circulation and air quality of urban areas in coastal regions as well as of the development of suitable management strategies.
Urban Heat Island, Incheon, Sea-Land Breeze, Urban Air Quality Implication, Climate Change
1501-06.pdf
