Bioclimatic zoning of the territory of Ukraine based on human thermal state assessment

Abstract

This research focuses on objective assessment of bioclimatic conditions through analyses of biometeorological indices based on Harrington’s desirability function. Evaluation criteria for the Harrington desirability function during winter are: Bodman’s winter severity index (S), equivalent-efficient temperatures (EETA), index of wind cooling (K0), and wind chill temperature (WC). These metrics were integrated into one complex, generalized desirability index for winter (DW). For the summer period, equivalentefficient temperatures of Missenard (EЕT) index, radiation equivalent-effective temperature (PEET) and Heat Index (HI), were combined to form a desirability index for summer (DS). Zoning of the territory by e integrating the indices (DW/DS) portrays the seasonal and spatial differentiation of bioclimatic conditions over Ukraine. These differences were used to highlight the most favorable and unfavorable regions (zones) for humans and, accordingly, the level of bioclimatic resources for each region. In winter across Ukraine, four zones with different levels of weather comfort were identified, with only three zones in summer. For both seasons meteorological conditions are mostly comfortable based on human thermal state. Zone 3, with satisfactory bioclimatic resources and comfortable weather, is the largest of all zones in both winter and summer, making up 49.61% and 61.0% Ukraine’s territory, respectively. Average values of climatic characteristics were calculated for the specified zones for both seasons (1981-2010).