The impact of development type on the intensity of turbulent exchange of mass and energy in Łódź – the selected results of measurements from the years 2013–2016

Abstract

This paper contains the results of measurement of turbulent exchange of heat and mass in Łódź in the period 2013–2016. Measurement campaigns of sensible (QH) and latent (QE) heat fluxes as well as carbon dioxide and methane (FCO2 and FCH4) fluxes have been carried out on two urban sites characterized by different development and use. The first site has been located at the city center (artificial surfaces percentage ~60%) dominated by the net of urban canyons and 3–4 storey tenement buildings. The second site has been located at postindustrial district about 4.8 km to the north. This part of the city is characterized by lower development density (~40%) and dominated by big postindustrial buildings converted into warehouses and large stores. Turbulent fluxes QH, QE, FCO2, and FCH4 have been measured with eddy covariance technique. Both sites have been equipped with typical instrumentation set consisting of ultrasonic anemometers and water vapor, carbon dioxide and methane gas analyzers. According to eddy-covariance method principles, on both sites instruments have been mounted on the height double or more higher than mean surrounding urban canopy layer. The aim of this paper was to show variability of heat and mass fluxes registered during August, September and October 2016 in the postindustrial district and compare with the results obtained during the same months in the center of Łódź in the years 2013–2015. The results show that intensity of turbulent exchange is clearly related to land use and characteristics of urban surface. Turbulent exchange of sensible and latent heat on postindustrial area, covered by big buildings and wide market places has been smaller than in the center of Łódź, dominated by urban canyons and residential buildings. Moreover, turbulent fluxes of greenhouse gases have been also smaller especially in the case of carbon dioxide. Diurnal courses of FCO2 and FCH4 fluxes registered at the city center have been dominated by two maxima, related to diurnal rhythm of fossil fuel combustion during traffic rush hours and evening inhabitants activities (cooking, heating tec.). While traffic is much less intense in comparison with city center and there is a lack of residential buildings on postindustrial areas, carbon dioxide fluxes are much smaller there and methane fluxes have only one maximum a day.