These are all needless tragedies. Determined to do something about it, Jan Null, of Fremont, California, has embarked on a study to determine how hot it can get inside cars, and how fast.
Null is a retired National Weather Service meteorologist, an adjunct professor of Meteorology at San Francisco State University's Department of Geosciences, and a Certified Consulting Meteorologist with Golden Gate Weather Services.
In the initial phase of his three-part study, Null monitored the actual temperatures inside a ve-hicle under a variety of meteorological circumstances and compared them to the ambient read-ings outside.
Finding: On a day when the outside temperature was 73° Fahrenheit, it took only 20 minutes for the temperature sensor inside the car to reach a lethal level of 107° Fahrenheit. (See figure 1)
Finding: On a day when the outside temperature was 86° Fahrenheit, it took only five minutes for the temperature sensor inside the car (placed in direct sunlight) to reach 132° Fahrenheit. (See figure 2)
Finding: On a day when the outside temperature was 86° Fahrenheit, it took only 10 minutes for the temperature sensor inside the vehicle in the shade to reach a lethal level of 109° Fahr-enheit. (See figure 2)
"When looking at just the preliminary stage of this study, it's evident that it only takes a very short period of time before the interior air temperature of an enclosed vehicle can rise to lethal levels," said Null. "These findings are crucial not only to parents worried about their children but also to anyone who might have an elderly person as a passenger. Even people traveling with pets should be concerned about these results."
"As a parent, this is the type of study I would want other parents to see," continued Null. "If we can help save one life, it's all worthwhile."
Consumer technology used for temperature data
Before starting the study, Null contacted Davis Instruments of Hayward, California, about us-ing their technology. To measure the rising heat inside the test vehicle, a dark blue 2000 Honda Accord with dark gray interior, Null used the remote temperature and humidity sensors from their Wireless Vantage Pro consumer weather station. Data was transmitted every 2½ seconds to a Vantage Pro battery-operated console, and stored every 5 minutes by Davis's WeatherLink data logger. (Archive intervals can be as short as one minute.) Null then downloaded the data to his computer for further analysis and charting.
Null also used the Vantage Pro to monitor ambient (outside) weather conditions. Vantage Pro's outdoor sensors are packaged together in an "integrated sensor suite" for a quick and easy setup. Each suite combines a rain collector, temperature and humidity sensors, and an anemometer for measuring wind speed and direction. A built-in solar panel eliminates the need for cumbersome cables or dangerous electrical wiring, giving Null the flexibility of loca-tion he needed for the study.
The battery-operated console features an extra-large (3 ½" x 6"), multi-function LCD screen with extensive graphing capabilities. A moving ticker tape displays an on-screen forecast, which takes not just barometric pressure into account, but also wind, temperature, and geo-graphical location. Over 70 different audible alarms can be set to alert users whenever weather variables reach a given value.
"With today's advances in technology, it's thrilling to see how a consumer product like the Wireless Vantage Pro can enable life-saving research like Jan's," said Joan Peterson, Vice President at Davis Instruments. "We're pleased to be a part of this critical study."
The second and final phases of the study
The second phase of Null's study will incorporate the differences in temperature readings as a result of vehicle type, size, color and other vehicle specifics. A final phase, in conjunction with the Emergency Medicine Department at Stanford University Hospital, will include an examination of the physiological aspects of extreme heat on humans. The entire study will be complete in Fall 2002.
For more information about Null's research, visit http://ggweather.com/heat/ or call Golden Gate Weather Services (510) 657-2246.
For more information, check out Davis's website at www.davisnet.com/weather/products/stations.asp
Or give them a call at (800) 678 3669.
Davis is located at 3465
Diablo Avenue, Hayward, CA 94545.
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