Analysis of the Urban Energy Balance in Bahía Blanca (Argentina)

FERNÁNDEZ, MARÍA EUGENIA; PICONE, NATASHA; GENTILI, JORGE OSVALDO; CAMPO, ALICIA MARÍA

Urban Climate

Elsevier B.V.

Lugar: Amsterdam; Año: 2021 vol. 37

2212-0955

The objective of this study is to define the effect of Bahía Blanca (Argentina) urban form and function on heat fluxes integrated in its energy balance at a local scale. The most frequent Local Climate Zones (LCZs) were identified in Bahía Blanca. Most of the LCZs are built types, corresponding to LCZ 1 and 2 in the microcenter, LCZ 3 in the macrocenter, and LCZ 6 and 9 in the city peri-urban area. The spatial distribution of Urban Energy Balance (UEB) was analyzed by calculating indices: the sensible heat index (χ), the evaporation index (γ), the storage index (Λ) and Bowen ratio (β). In the city central sectors there is a preponderance of sensible heat fluxes warming the atmosphere closest to the surface. Bahía Blanca estuary has the highest latent heat flux magnitudes, followed by coastal areas and islands associated. Peri-urban land surfaces and suburbs have greater magnitudes of latent heat flux since they are composed of a high percentage of permeable surfaces. A marked variability is observed in the daytime and nighttime QF anthropogenic heat fluxes, with maximums during the day. During the night, QF values decrease in magnitude throughout the urban area.