DE MUNCK Cécile
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Research
Urban climate and urban heat island effect
The urban heat island effect has now been described widely and is well-known for its consequences, including on human thermal comfort. Urban heat islands are often studied on big cities, where their characteristics are easier to quantify and their consequences more serious.
I am currently focusing on modelling the urban climate observed in Paris during the heat wave of August 2003. This case study is carried out using a meso-scale meteorological model (MESO-NH) coupled to an urban energy balance model – TEB and is based on real spatialised datasets to represent urban surface characteristics.
Anthropogenic heat releases – current focus : air-conditioning
A consequence of urban heat islands in summer is the increased use of air-conditioning during extreme heat events : the use of air-conditioning systems, while cooling the inside of buildings releases waste heat in the lower part of the urban atmosphere, hence potentially increasing air street temperatures where the heat is released. This may lead locally to a further increase in air street temperatures, therefore increasing the air cooling demand, while at the same time lowering the efficiency of air-conditioning units. Understanding and quantifying these increases in temperature at the scale of a city will enable to provide guidance on how air-conditioning can be used or developed in order not to exacerbate urban heat islands during future summer hot spells. This axis of research has become more important recently due to the forecasted increase in the frequency of summer heat waves in the future (VURCA)
I am currently working on CLIM2 a project aiming at quantifying the impacts of air-conditioning related heat releases on the city of Paris, during heat wave events similar to the one of summer 2003. The main types and uses of air-conditioning systems found in Paris (underground chilled water network, wet cooling towers and individual air-conditioning units) are simulated to study the effects of their respective heat releases on air street temperatures. This research activity is carried out using of a meso-scale meteorological model (MESO-NH) coupled to an urban energy balance model – TEB implemented with an air-conditioning module, and based on real spatialised datasets.
Urban pollution, climate change and how vegetation can be used to alleviate their impacts
During over 4 years I carried out various environmental studies for the Land Regeneration and Urban Greening Group of the Research Agency of the Forestry Commission UK, studying mainly the impact of climate change on pollutant linkages on brownfield sites and the food-chain transfer of contaminants in urban ecosystems.
I have a particular interest in studying the potential of the vegetation to alleviate pollutant linkages and climate change impacts in urban spaces.
Experience
- Since October 2009: scientist at CNRM, Météo France
- 4 ½ years as an environmental scientist and modeller working at Forest Research (Research Agency of the Forestry Commission UK)
- 3 ½ years as a Physical Sciences teacher in French and English Secondary Schools (Académie de Toulouse and Hampshire UK)
Background
1996 DEA in atmospheric chemical pollution and environmental physics
1995 Maîtrise de physique. Special subjects : meteorology, climatology
Publications
Peer-reviewed journal
De Munck, C.S., Hutchings, T.R., and Moffat, A.J., 2008. Impacts of climate change and establishing a vegetation cover on water erosion of contaminated spoils for two contrasting United Kingdom regional climates: a case study approach. Integrated Environmental Assessment and Management 4(4): 443-455.
Book chapter
Al-Tabbaa, A., De Munck, C.S., Dixon, T., Doak, J., Garvin, S.L., Raco, M., 2007. Climate Change, Pollutant Linkage and Brownfield Regeneration. In: T. Dixon, M. Raco, P. Catney & D. Lerner (Eds), Sustainable Brownfield Regeneration: Liveable Places from Problem Spaces. Wiley-Blackwell, London, UK.
Al-Tabbaa, A., Smith, S.E., Duru, U.E., Iyengar, S.R., De Munck, C.S., Moffat, A.J., Hutchings, T.R., Dixon, T., Doak, J., Garvin, S.L., Ridal, J., Raco, M., and Henderson, S., 2007. Climate Change, Pollutant Linkage and Brownfield Regeneration. SUBR:IM bulletin SUB 3, March 2007. CL:AIRE Publications, London, UK.
Conference
Al-Tabbaa, A., Smith, S.E., Duru, U.E., Iyengar, S.R., De Munck, C.S., Hutchings, T.R., Moffat, A.J., Garvin, S.L., Ridal, J., Dixon, T., Doak, J., Raco, M., and Henderson, S., 2007. Impact of and response to climate change in UK brownfield remediation. In: Proceedings of the International Conference on Climate Change. Hong Kong, China. 29-31 May 2007.
De Munck, C.S., Hutchings, T.R., and Moffat, A.J., 2007. Potential impacts of climate change and vegetation cover on water erosion of contaminated soils for two UK climates. 5th Congress of the European Society for Soil Conservation [ESSC]. Palermo, Sicily. 25-30 June 2007.
No one shall be held responsible, scientifically or otherwise for the content of these pages / articles, but the authors themselves and in no way the responsibility of the CNRM-GAME .