A Fundamental Study on the Changing Pattern of Thermoscape at District Scale

Abstract

The purpose of this study is to produce visual image data of thermoscape, which can function as fundamental data and information for evaluating the degree of comfort in the living environment of urban areas in the thermoscape-design process.
Thermoscape is defined as those that indicate the thermal condition of surfaces of landscape materials located in urban areas, and is utilized to analyze the thermal effectiveness of those landscape materials in urban environmental design. Using an infrared thermovision camera, two district areas located in Shin-Matsudo, Matsudo City, and 21 road-corners were tested as case study areas in the summer of 1993 for producing visual image data of thermoscapes. The thermograph analysis showed in detail the changing pattern and proportion of high and low surface temperature of urban landscape materials. An evaluation of the sequence of thermographs showed clearly that a specific distribution of canopies with low surface temperature occupied part of thermoscape at midday. Vegetation made up the domain of low surface temperature and was stable during the time of observation. On the other hand buildings and roadways surfaced with asphalt made up the domain of high surface temperature.