Urban water cycle modeling in a climate change perspective: application to the Urban Freshness Islands of Dijon Métropole

Started in October 2020

Funding: doctoral grant

Supervisors: Yves Richard (Biogéosciences, CRC team) & Thomas Thévenin (Laboratoire ThéMA, Dijon)

Abstract

As a result of climate change, heat waves are increasing and intensifying. At the same time, more and more people live in cities where urban heat islands (UHI) are developing. Heat waves and combined UHI contribute to the emergence of health risks backed by thermal stress. France “discovered” this risk in 2003. Building on this experience, prevention policies have developed. But prevention is not enough and must be combined with policies to adapt to climate change. Town planning is to be re-examined. Choice of materials, colors, urban forms are to work. But, in terms of refreshment, the greatest potential lies in the greening of cities. The plants, by evapotranspiration, refresh the ambient air. Creating green spaces is creating Urban Freshness Island (UFI). However, to provide this ecosystem service, plants need water, at certain times of the year, heat waves, when water is scarce. It is therefore a question of having a systemic approach where one models the climate of the city by integrating the vegetated spaces and the potential of irrigation. This approach is based on numerical modeling. With the MesoNH climate model developed by Météo France, we are going to test the sensitivity of urban temperature to a set of green space irrigation experiments. The application relates to Dijon Métropole which has a network of 60 temperature sensors essential for the validation of the control simulation (without irrigation) of the model. The two heat waves of 2019, combined with a drought that worsened during the summer, will be the periods to which the experiences of climate sensitivity to urban watering will relate.

Keywords

urban freshness island, vegetalisation, urban water cycle, modeling, urban heat island, climate change

extrait:

lien_externe:

titre:

Modélisation du cycle urbain de l'eau dans une perspective de changement climatique : application aux îlots de fraîcheur urbains de Dijon Métropole

date_de_debut_these:

octobre 2020

nom:

Poupelin

date_de_debut_these_numerique:

202010

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kc_raw_content:

Urban water cycle modeling in a climate change perspective: application to the Urban Freshness Islands of Dijon Métropole

 

Started in October 2020

Funding: doctoral grant

Supervisors: Yves Richard (Biogéosciences, CRC team) & Thomas Thévenin (Laboratoire ThéMA, Dijon)

 

Abstract

As a result of climate change, heat waves are increasing and intensifying. At the same time, more and more people live in cities where urban heat islands (UHI) are developing. Heat waves and combined UHI contribute to the emergence of health risks backed by thermal stress. France "discovered" this risk in 2003. Building on this experience, prevention policies have developed. But prevention is not enough and must be combined with policies to adapt to climate change. Town planning is to be re-examined. Choice of materials, colors, urban forms are to work. But, in terms of refreshment, the greatest potential lies in the greening of cities. The plants, by evapotranspiration, refresh the ambient air. Creating green spaces is creating Urban Freshness Island (UFI). However, to provide this ecosystem service, plants need water, at certain times of the year, heat waves, when water is scarce. It is therefore a question of having a systemic approach where one models the climate of the city by integrating the vegetated spaces and the potential of irrigation. This approach is based on numerical modeling. With the MesoNH climate model developed by Météo France, we are going to test the sensitivity of urban temperature to a set of green space irrigation experiments. The application relates to Dijon Métropole which has a network of 60 temperature sensors essential for the validation of the control simulation (without irrigation) of the model. The two heat waves of 2019, combined with a drought that worsened during the summer, will be the periods to which the experiences of climate sensitivity to urban watering will relate.

 

Keywords

urban freshness island, vegetalisation, urban water cycle, modeling, urban heat island, climate change