Effects of land reclamations in Osaka Bay on the regional climate

Abstract

The effects of land reclamations in the Osaka Bay area on the climate in the Keihanshin region are investigated using a numerical model. It is observed that reclamations in Osaka Bay lead to a significant increase in the surface air temperature (SAT) over the inland during the daytime and a decrease from midnight to the morning. This indicates that reclamations increase the diurnal temperature range. The decrease in the SAT in the morning, which is in contrast to urban warming, is due to the decreased surface wind speed caused by the reclamations and is accompanied by reduced vertical heat exchange.