American Journal of Environmental Protection

Special Issue

Climate Dynamics in Urban World: Modeling and Simulation

  • Submission Deadline: Oct. 20, 2015
  • Status: Submission Closed
  • Lead Guest Editor: Ansar Khan
About This Special Issue
Urban areas are both affected by weather and climate, and exert an influence on the local scale weather and climate. The climate in and around cities and other built up areas is altered in part due to modifications humans make to the surface of the Earth during urbanization. The surface is typically rougher and often drier in cities, as naturally vegetated surfaces are replaced by buildings and paved streets. Buildings along streets form urban street "canyons" that cause the urban surface to take on a distinctly three-dimensional character. These changes affect the absorption of solar radiation, the surface temperature, evaporation rates, storage of heat and the turbulence and wind climates of cities and can drastically alter the conditions of the near-surface atmosphere. Human activities in cities also produce emissions of heat, water vapour and pollutants that directly impact the temperature, humidity, visibility and air quality in the atmosphere above cities. On slightly larger scales, urbanization can also lead to changes in precipitation above and downwind of urban areas. In fact, urbanization alters just about every element of climate and weather in the atmosphere above the city, and sometimes downwind of the city.

Although cities themselves form a very small fraction of the Earth's surface area, the world's population has become increasingly urbanized and is now affected by urban climates. Cities too, are important sites for greenhouse gas emissions because of the high energy demands by urban residents and activities. These emissions extend the (indirect) influence of cities on climate to much larger scales. Locally altered urban climates that have existed for many years may provide us with some insight into how to respond to large scale climate change and this makes the study of urban climates increasingly important.

Special issue seeks to original research papers, comprehensive review articles, book reviews, and short communications on topics including, but not limited to, the following:

1. Urban Heat Island and Microclimate

2. Urban Energy Budget

3. Urban Material and Green Technology

4. Urban Flooding

5. Urban Ground Water Hydrology
Lead Guest Editor
  • Ansar Khan

    Department of Geography and Environment Management, Vidyasagar University, Midnapore, India

Guest Editors
  • Soumendu Chatterjee

    Department of Geography, Presidency University, Kolkata, India