Caracterización de la isla de calor urbana por efectos de la morfología en la ciudad andina de Cuenca, Ecuador

Abstract

This investigation is experimental and compares 6 urban canyons of the historic center of Cuenca to evaluate the incidence of urban morphology in the urban heat island (UHI). In the inner of canyons are made insitu measurements to explore data of ambient temperature and wind speed in different days of a type week with high temperature and radiation. These measurements are compared with data from the Llacao rural station to verify the existence of ICU in day and night. Then, morphological aspects of urban canyons such as the ratio (H/W), sky view factor SVF, relative height factor (FHR) and the radiation of horizontal and vertical surfaces are evaluated. In addition, a principal components analysis was performed between the morphology parameters, the normalized differential vegetation index (NDVI) and the vehicular flow in the ICU day period. The study identifies that the urban canyon of Huayna Cápac with a ratio of 0.28, a SVF of 0.66 and north-south orientation obtains a thermal difference of 2 ºC with regard to the urban canyon of Presidente Córdoba with ratio of 1.47 a SVF of 0.34 and east-west orientation.