Urban Densification Effect on Micrometeorology in Santiago, Chile: A Comparative Study Based on Chaos Theory
Date
2022Author
Pacheco, Patricio
Mera, Eduardo
Salini, Giovanni
Publisher
SustainabilityDescription
Artículo de publicación SCOPUS - WOSMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
The concentration distribution of anthropocentric pollutants is favored by urban densifi-
cation, affecting the micrometeorology in big cities. To examine this condition, chaos theory was
applied to time series of measurements of urban meteorology and pollutants of six communes of the
Metropolitan Region of Santiago de Chile, in two periods: 2010–2013 and 2017–2020. Each commune
contributes, per period, six different time series: three for the meteorological variables (temperature,
relative humidity, and magnitude wind speed) and three for the atmospheric pollutant concentrations
(PM10, PM2.5, and CO). This qualitative study corroborates that each of the time series is chaotic
through the calculation of chaotic parameters: Lyapunov exponent, correlation dimension, Hurst
coefficient, correlation entropy, Lempel–Ziv complexity and fractal dimension. The variation in the
chaotic parameters between the two periods can be interpreted in relation to the roughness change
due to urban densification. More specific parameters, constructed from the Kolmogorov entropies
and the fractal dimensions of the time series, show modifications due to the increase in the built
surface in the most current period. This variation also extends to micrometeorology, as is clear from
the Lempel–Ziv complexity and the Hurst coefficient. The qualitative picture constructed using chaos
theory reveals that human interaction with nature affects diversity and sustainability and generates
irreversible processes.