A Study on the Characteristics of Perceived Temperature over the Korean Peninsula During 2007 Summer

This study examines one thermal index, perceived temperature (PT), over the Korean Peninsula during 2007 summer. Heat/cold stress has been described using air temperature and humidity for warm seasons and air temperature and wind velocity in the cold conditions, while PT is based on a heat budget model of the human body that considers air temperature, humidity, wind velocity and radiation effect regardless of climates, regions and seasons. PT is higher about than air temperature in the summer. Humidity increases PT, while wind tends to reduces PT possibly by evaporation of water vapor. The geographical distribution of summer PT indicates that the lowest PT happened in the east central region, with the appearance of the highest PT in the inland of southern region in Korea. Although the latitudinal trend shows that PT decreases northward, inland PT is higher than that of coastal region. Compared to the heat index or the discomfort index that considers air temperature and humidity, PT represents distinctive regional characteristics of thermal comfort. The distribution of PT shows that it may be a useful thermal index for the assessment of thermal comfort or stress region in the Korean Peninsula.