For the North-East Development Region of Romania, balneary-climatic tourism can potentially become a development engine. To this type of tourism, other forms or types of tourism are added, which are ...to some extent conditioned by the regional particularities of the climate and bioclimate. To better understand the climatic conditioning on the tourism in this region, we have selected five representative balneary-climatic resorts, located in three different bioclimatic zones: tonic-stimulant (Vatra Dornei), sedative-indifferent (Slănic Moldova, Târgu Ocna, and Bălţăteşti), and turn-applicant (Nicolina). The location under different bioclimatic conditions allowed us a good comparative analysis of the differences and similarities between the resorts. For this, we used an hourly database for the period January 1, 1961 to December 31, 2015, from which we built the daily database for all the elements and parameters required to calculate the physiologically equivalent temperature index, based on the RayMan model, its representations, and the climate-tourism schemes. The physiologically equivalent temperature and the climate-tourism schemes allowed us to identify the best periods of the year for conducting balneary and climate-therapeutic activities—both adjacent and standalone, or a variety of relaxing or recreational leisure activities conducted in the open. Finally, the trends of the annual series of PET data for the interval 1961–2015 and the subintervals 1961–1980 and 1981–2015 were identified and analyzed. We were consequently able to draw a set of conclusions outlining a series of changes that are likely to intervene in the relationship between climate and tourism in this region in the immediate future.
The study analyzes with priority the bioclimatic conditions for tourist activities in two famous tourist areas in western Romania (Băile Felix–Băile 1 Mai (BF_1 M) – Stâna de Vale – Vlădeasa and, ...respectively Băile Herculane (BH) - Semenic, from the perspective of the potential of health tourism and in the subsidiary of sports and camping tourism. Such researches are missing for western Romania. The main working tools in the evaluation of the tourist valences of the bioclimate include: the spatio-temporal analysis of the Physiologically Equivalent Temperature (PET) bioclimatic index, of the TCI climate-tourism index and of the climate-tourism schemes (CTIS). PET, TCI and CTIS were calculated and drawn up based on the daily data of the meteorological elements included in their calculation for the period 1961–2019. The bioclimate is analyzed as an element of potential that can increase (through a better evaluation and knowledge) the attractiveness and sustainability of the health tourism in the already established resorts (BF_1 M, BH) and can develop sports and camping tourism in the direction of the two proposed axes (Stâna de Vale – Vlădeasa și Semenic), with the decongestion of the resorts from the base the mountains. The proposed objectives consist inmulti-criteria evaluation, promotion and sustainable exploitation of the bioclimatic (and spa) resources of the six tourist destinations, but it also aims to increase the level of attention and information of all those interested, by promoting the bioclimatic and climate-tourism assets of complementary tourist destinations (Stâna de Vale, Vlădeasa, Semenic). The results obtained from the PET statistics show that between 25 and 39 % of the days of a year are comfortable, and the TCI statistics show that between 54 and 69 % of the days are favorable for the practice of tourism. PET and TCI highlight that from mid-April to mid-October the bioclimatic conditions for health tourism are good at BF_1 M and BH and that, only in the months of December–February the balneoclimatic procedures carried out outside the treatment bases are subject to climatic restrictions. Sports tourism has few temporal restrictions, and camping tourism restricts its duration, from April to October in lowland resorts, to May to September in mountain tourist destinations. CTIS shows that the resorts in western Romania have the most favorable bioclimatic and climate-tourism conditions in Romania.
•The study analyzes with priority the bioclimatic conditions for tourist activities in two famous tourist areas in western Romania (Băile Felix–Băile 1 Mai (BF 1 M) – Stâna de Vale – Vlădeasa and, respectively Băile Herculane (BH) - Semenic, from the perspective of the potential of health tourism and in the subsidiary of sports and camping tourism.•The main working tools in the evaluation of the tourist valences of the bioclimate include; i) the spatio-temporal analysis of the Physiologically Equivalent Temperature (PET) bioclimatic index, ii) of the TCI climate-tourism index and iii) of the climate-tourism schemes (CTIS).•The study is the first of its kind for western Romania and promotes the untapped bioclimatic and balneoclimatic assets of the analyzed tourist destinations, offering all those interested sustainable, flexible, dynamic and attractive alternatives in organizing the management of activities or future stays.
Background: This study by design, approach, duration and number of respondents is the first of its kind for Suceava and Romania. The first objective of the study was to assess the average level of ...thermal perceptions of the population in the researched area. Methods: The respondents appreciated and wrote the level of comfort/discomfort felt daily, the interdiurnal, interlunar and intertemporal regime of thermal perceptions by reference to the meteorological elements and bio-meteorological indices was also assessed. The biometeorological survey test was conducted from January 1, 2019 to February 28, 2021, and 9321 valid responses were received (on average 11.8 answers/day-1). Results: The overall average of the answers (of -0.55) shows that the respondents perceived the atmosphere of the urban agglomeration as cool, the winters were cold and moderately cold (the answers average = -1.43), whereas the summers were more thermally comfortable than warm (the average of the answers = 0.73). The Pearson correlation coefficients between the averages of the daily answers and the average or extreme values of temperature, respectively of the biome-teorological indices, ranged between 0.65 and 0.88. Conclusions: The PCA analysis reconfirmed high degrees of correlation between the average responses, the examined meteorological and bio-meteorological factors.
Currently, there is little information regarding the recent spatiotemporal dynamics of upper timberline in the Carpathian Mountains. We reconstructed the temporal (1887–2018) and spatial dynamics of ...upper timberline in the Rodna Mountains (Eastern Carpathians) based on seven sets of maps and aerial photographs and explained its variability in relation to three main drivers: air temperature, land morphometry and anthropogenic pressure. The impact of natural drivers (temperature, morphometry) on timberline position was evaluated using a high-resolution digital elevation model, local and regional instrumental and modelled climate databases. The impact of anthropogenic factors on timberline position was documented from published sources such as local paleolimnological studies and historical documents. Results show that timberline rose on average with 113 ± 2 m on the northern slope of the Rodna Mts (currently reaching 1640 m above sea level (a.s.l.)) and with 182 ± 2 m on the southern slope (up to an elevation of 1539 m a.s.l.). Our results suggest that this pattern might be connected with the rising temperature over the recent decades. On the northern slope where land morphometry restricts anthropogenic activities, timberline reached the highest elevation. On the more accessible southern slope, anthropogenic land-use changes likely moderated timberline elevational rise under increasing temperatures.
The region situated between the mountain area and the lowlands in NE Romania (East-Central Europe) is experiencing increased competition for water resources triggered by a growing population, ...intensification of agriculture, and industrial development. To better understand hydrological cycling processes in the region, a study was conducted using stable isotopes of water and atmospheric trajectory data to characterize regional precipitation and vapour sources derived from the Atlantic Ocean, Mediterranean and Black Seas, as well as recycled continental moisture, and to assess and partition these contributions to recharge of surface and groundwater. Atmospheric moisture in the lowlands is found to be predominantly delivered along easterly trajectories, while mountainous areas appear to be dominated by North Atlantic Ocean sources, with moisture transported along mid-latitude, westerly storm tracks. Large-scale circulation patterns affect moisture delivery, the North Atlantic Oscillation being particularly influential in winter and the East Atlantic pattern in summer. Winter precipitation is the main contributor to river discharge and aquifer recharge. As winter precipitation amounts are projected to decrease over the next decades, and water abstraction is expected to steadily increase, a general reduction in water availability is projected for the region.
The widespread availability of Land Surface Temperature (LST) data from various sources presents a contemporary challenge for urban climate studies: how to efficiently compare these data with the ...results of traditional methods of temperature monitoring, which typically assume measurements at 2 m under sheltered conditions. In this line, the current study is based primarily on data extracted from a network of 31 points of hourly temperature monitoring at the 2 m level (Tair2m), in use between 2019 and 2021, in the city of Suceava in north-eastern Romania. These data allowed a detailed mapping for each hourly time step through multiple regression, adjusted by IDW, which was identified as the best interpolation method of Tair2m. These data were analyzed in parallel with LST data derived from Landsat imagery available in the analyzed period for 35 summer days with no or low cloud cover. The mapping results of both the Tair2m and LST data describe the main characteristics of the Suceava urban agglomeration (SvMA) heat island, which presents polynuclear features with intensities—as expressed by the temperature difference between the cores of the heat island and the surrounding rural areas—spanning during the summer noontime between 3.0 °C based on Tair2m and 7.1 °C on LST, respectively. The values of the Tair2m–LST differences were 0.68 °C on average, ranging from 5.33 to −19.17 °C, directly proportional to the imperviousness ratio (IMD) values, reaching the highest values in the local climate zones (LCZs) with a high built-up ratio (up to −19.17 °C) and the lowest (0.5 ÷ −0.5 °C) for those with bare soils, with isolated bushes and trees, with few or no buildings. The study results could serve as a tool to downscale the LST data to the level of Tair2m, which is useful for interpretation of the data derived from these commonly used tools in urban climate monitoring.
The study addresses the climatic water deficit (WD) and surplus (WE) in the area located between the heights of the Eastern Carpathians (Romania) and the Dniester River (Moldova). The objective of ...this study is to discover the trend of WD/WE (past and future) and its variation in space. WD and WE were calculated as the difference between the amounts of precipitation (
P
) and the reference evapotranspiration (ET
0
). The
P
-ET
0
trend, analyzed through Mann-Kendall and
t
tests, was negative for 83 and 80% of the analyzed stations and the Sen’s slope had values between − 0.05 mm year
−1
(
t
test) and − 6.73 mm year
−1
(Mann-Kendall test). Seasonally, the slope values of
P
-ET
0
trends were negative during winter, spring, and summer and positive in autumn. The
P
-ET
0
index is positive (WE) only in the Carpathian and Eastern Subcarpathian areas, whereas for the rest of the investigated territory, we found negative values (WD). WD is more pronounced as we depart from the Carpathians towards the east, but also on a north to south direction, reaching the maximum in the southeastern part of the territory. In what concerns seasonal distribution, WE is identified everywhere only in winter, whereas, in spring, summer, and autumn, WD characterizes most of the territory, with the exception of the Carpathian and Subcarpathian areas. The increasing WD will have a growing negative influence on the agriculture of the studied area. For the year 2030, we anticipate a reduction in the climate water availability with 46 mm m
−2
(reference period: 1961–2012).
The air ionisation in Suceava Metropolitan Area PRISACARIU, Alin; MIHĂILĂ, Dumitru; BISTRICEAN, Petruț-Ionel
Present Environment and Sustainable Development,
01/2023, Letnik:
17, Številka:
1
Journal Article
Recenzirano
Odprti dostop
This study is the first of its kind, conducted for a city and its surroundings, in Romania. The air ionisation monitoring for Suceava Metropolitan Area (SvMA) was carried out with the PC Connectable ...Highly Accurate Air Ion Counter Tester COM-3200PRO II, in 34 points from SvMA (Suceava Metropolitan Area), in four time sequences of the year (January, March, July and November), in different parts of the day (morning, afternoon and evening), on active surfaces differentiated in properties (from anthropogenic to natural). The annual average value of the positive (n+) ion levels at the SvMA monitoring points was 576.6 ions/cm-3. The annual average of negative (n-) ions at the monitoring points in SvMA in 2022 was 379.5 ions/cm-3. The study shows an annual regime of n- levels which has specifically a maximum in July (598.6 ions/cm-3) and an annual regime of n+, which has a minimum in the same month (415.3 ions/cm-3). The unipolarity coefficient (k) had a value of 1.52 for the whole of SvMA for the year 2022, ranging from 5.8 in January to 0.73 in July. The lowest k values were calculated for the observation points located in the rural localities from the vicinity of the urban perimeter of Suceava and for the natural ones from the municipality.
Background: The study responds to real needs of knowing the bioclimate of some tourist resorts in order to develop different types of tourism, in which the bioclimate plays a significant role. In ...Romania, a similar study was carried out for the resort towns of Vatra Dornei and Tg. Ocna. Methods: The research is based on time series of weather elements from 1961-2021. These series were used for the calculation of the bioclimatic index of the physiological equivalent temperature (PET) which allows the analysis of the temporal peculiarities of the bioclimate. In order to highlight in a new perspective the relationship between biocli-mate and tourism in the Piatra Neamț resort, we created climate-tourism schemes (CTIS). Results: PET values ranged between a maximum of 35.7°C (severe thermal stress due to heating) and a minimum of - 29.3°C (extreme thermal stress due to cooling). The mean PET value was 8.8°C (indicating moderate cold stress). The period of the year with biocli-matic comfort, for hiking, visiting, outdoor sports, climatotherapy, balneotherapy cor-re-sponds to the interval April (3rd decade) - October (1st decade). Conclusions: Tourists who want to plan their vacation in Piatra Neamț will benefit from non-restrictive bioclimatic conditions from the end of April to the beginning of October. During the cold season, with a layer of snow, winter sports can be practiced.
This study captures for 6 days in May and August 2022 (time interval 8:00 AM-8:00 PM) the atmospheric levels of positive and negative ions in the atmosphere of three balneoclimatic resorts in ...north-eastern Romania (Solca, Cacica and Gura Humorului), in correlation with the values of meteorological elements of those days. The concentration of aeroions was measured hourly, in 2+2 days, in a characteristic point of each resort and on September 15, 2022 in 3 points / levels of Cacica salt mine. With average values of aeroion levels above 1000 / cc (1054 / cc at Solca, 1069 / cc at Gura Humorului and 1468 / cc at Cacica) the atmosphere of these resorts can be therapeutically exploited by aeroionotherapy. In the Cacica salt mine the aeroelectric potential is very high, here the total aeroion load varied between 9,026.5 and 11,464.5 aeroions/cc. The unipolarity coefficient (k) had average values of 0.72 at Solca, 0.9 at Cacica and 0.97 at Gura Humorului, indicating in all three resorts a quality air with therapeutic properties. In the Cacica salt mine the average value of the unipolarity coefficient was 1.26, with slight variations from one room to another.
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