CURRENT AFFAIRS

Detailed explanation-1: -Contrary to global evidence, a study by IIT Gandhinagar researchers has found that during daytime the urban areas are relatively cooler than the surrounding non-urban areas during heat waves. However, during night time, all urban areas are hotter than the surrounding non-urban areas.

Detailed explanation-2: -"Urban heat islands” occur when cities replace natural land cover with dense concentrations of pavement, buildings, and other surfaces that absorb and retain heat. This effect increases energy costs (e.g., for air conditioning), air pollution levels, and heat-related illness and mortality.

Detailed explanation-3: -Atmospheric Heat Islands. These heat islands form as a result of warmer air in urban areas compared to cooler air in outlying areas.

Detailed explanation-4: -Hotspots are often found in industrial areas, where waste heat, the use of dark construction material and absence of vegetation can result in very high land surface temperatures.

Detailed explanation-5: -There are two broad types of UHI, namely Surface Urban Heat Island (SUHI) and Atmospheric Urban Heat Island (AUHI). An increase in urban surface temperatures creates the SUHI that is present all day and night and is most intense during the summer.