Photoperiod variation and lighting in the province of Jujuy and its influence on human wellbeing

HERNÁNDEZ DE BORSETTI NE

San Miguel de Tucumán

Jornada; THIRD JOINT MEETING OF THE BIOLOGY SOCIETIES OF ARGENTINA; 2015

Sociedad de Biología de República Argentina

A150PHOTOPERIOD VARIATIONS AND LIGHTING IN THE PROVINCE OF JUJUY AND ITS INFLUENCE ONHUMAN WELLBEINGLarrán M1, López Núñez C1, López Núñez A1, Hugo Borsetti1, Tonello G2, Beleizan F1, Atanasio Y1, Hernández de Borsetti N1.Universidad Nacional de Jujuy1, Universidad Nacional de Tucumán2, E-mail: nancy_lilloahoo.com.arThe province of Jujuy has a population distributed into four geographical regions: Yungas, valleys, quebrada and Puna (300 to over4,000 meters above sea level) with a variety of ecosystems and environmental factors that, together with the seasonal variation inphotoperiods, could affect the rhythmic production of melatonin, a hormone regulated by light that has not yet been studied in theprovince. The visual effects of lighting determine our performance, while biological and emotional effects are more important indetermining our health and wellbeing. Objective: To study the interaction of environmental factors with melatonin production fromdifferences in photoperiod according to the altitude and latitude of each region. Methodology: representative localities of the regionsof the province were selected. Historical weather information from Servicio Metereológico Nacional and Servicio MetereológicoAndino was collected in order to analyze climate elements and index calculation to determine the influence of environmental factors.With a light meter monthly light curves were plotted, starting measurement when the value was zero, before dawn, and ending when itwas zero again. Hourly measurements were collected. The photoperiod was calculated for each day.Results and conclusions: Differences were found between measured values and calculated values. Although there is no latitudinalvariation in astronomical heliophany in the province, we observed that the variations found in relative heliophany resulted fromincreased atmospheric moisture and cloudiness in the east of the territory, which is due to differences in effective heliophany.