On Wed, 27 Aug 2014 09:29:53 -0700, Rick Froman wrote:
Mike:
Can you confirm for us, in a related story, that people walking into
the sun in Manhattan are angrier than those walking with their backs
to the sun? Or is there a ceiling effect?
http://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/02699931.2013.801338
Full text available at:
http://www.researchgate.net/publication/236854607_Sun-induced_frowning_fosters_aggressive_feelings/file/5046351b2277d4cac9.pdf
Rick,
I subscribe to the "Bruce Banner Assertion" and, as a New Yorker,
I can confidently say that we don't need any damn sun to be angry.
I note without prejudice that the researchers were Italian and the
participants were observed on a beach (probably an Italian or
European one; I imagine that the guys there, regardless of age and
size, were probably wearing speedos which, upon viewing, would surely
be a provocation to anger). I await a replication study done on the
streets of NYC but in the meantime, yeah, I think we have a ceiling
effect. ;-)
-Mike Palij
New York University
[email protected]
P.S. The "Bruce Banner Assertion" comes from the movie "Marvel's
The Avengers" where Bruce Banner says (just before taking on a
huge freakin' metal space alien) "That's my secret: I'm always angry."
I note without prejudice that he said this in midtown Manhattan, thus,
making him indistinguishable from New Yorkers there.
-----Original Message-----
From: Mike Palij [mailto:[email protected]]
Sent: Wednesday, August 27, 2014 10:52 AM
To: Teaching in the Psychological Sciences (TIPS)
Cc: Michael Palij
Subject: [tips] Measuring the Microclimate in Manhattan, NYC (Sorry
Kansas)
Our colleagues at the City College of the City University of New York
(CUNY) are doing a research study on the differences in climate measures
(e.g.,
temperature, humidity, etc.) on a block by block basis in Manhattan.
Though
the research results have not yet been formally published, preliminary
results
confirm informal observation:
temperature in Manhattan varies systematically as a function of
location.
"Low lying" areas of Manhattan, such as the Lower East Side (LES) tend
to be
hotter than "higher elevations".
NOTE: Some might think of Manhattan as being flat but this is a mistake.
The
highest "natural" point in Manhattan is 265.05 feet above sea level in
Bennett
Park in northern Manhattan, above the GW bridge; see the NYC Parks
website:
http://www.nycgovparks.org/parks/bennett-park/monuments/721
Some may sneer at a height that is less than a vertical football field
but
others may consider it a blessing especially if you bike around
Manhattan.
Indeed, "bikers" provide fairly detailed info about elevation in
Manhattan; see:
http://www.bikeforums.net/northeast/303521-manhattan-nyc-elevation-meters-above-sea-level.html
Using the above info, one can predict which areas in Manhattan were most
affected by Superstorm Sandy.
Anyway, the local public radio station WNYC had a news piece on the
study (see:
http://www.wnyc.org/story/beware-light-box-effect-and-other-secrets-nycs-microclimates/
)
which was picked up the Gothamist; see:
http://gothamist.com/2014/08/26/temperatures_in_manhattan_do_actual.php
And here is the website for the City College research group:
http://http://glasslab.engr.ccny.cuny.edu/u/brianvh/UHI/
There's a real 1990s vibe to the research website. ;-)
Now, it probably should not come as a big surprise the there are
systematic
differences in temperatures on different blocks or, more accurately,
streets/avenues. For example, most streets run east-west which means
that the
amount of sunlight they get during the day is limited -- trees further
reduce
the amount of direct sunlight on pavement and sidewalks. All avenues
run
north-south and these receive the greatest amount of sunlight during the
day.
Temps on avenues are typically higher than on streets and one
explanation is
because of the sunlight they receive.
However, there are other factors to consider:
(1) Avenues tend to have the greatest amount of traffic, mostly of the
stop
and go kind which would add to the heating of the surface
(2) Underground power lines, steam pipes, and telecommunications cables
also
use the avenue to reach neighborhoods. All of these generate heat
(3) Many subways run under avenue, with the older IRT and BMT lines
(from the
early 20th century) near to the surface. These were usually constructed
using
the "cut and cover" method which involved digging an open ditch to the
level of
the subway and then covering it up (the IND line which was created in
the 1930s
typically used deep tunneling to cut done on the "collateral damage"
caused by
the cut and cover method).
And so on. Remember when you're next in NYC: some parts are hotter
than
others. ;-)
-Mike Palij
New York University
[email protected]
P.S. Yes, I do live in a hot part of town. ;-)
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