INVESTIGATION OF HEAT ISLANDS USING SMALL-SCALE MODELS

The possibility and criteria for small scale physical modelling of Urb an Heat Islands are examined. It is shown that the how and temperature fields above a particular class of Urban Heat Islands, which are term ed Simple Heat Islands (SHI), can be modelled using area sources of bu oyancy produced by either fires with thin combustion layers, hot plate s or a flux of helium. Available measurements of the dow and temperatu re fields induced by such area sources of buoyancy are used to analyze the characteristics of SHIs. The analysis reveals several new interes ting characteristics of heat islands. The possibility of modelling the how and temperature field above different types of heat islands is al so examined.