Human Thermal Comfort Situation in the Goller ( Lakes ) District of Turkey

In this study, the determination of the human thermal comfort situation in the Goller District (in the Mediterranean Region) of Turkey has been aimed. In the direction of the aim, the air temperature and relative humidity data of total 11 meteorology stations have been examined according to The Thermo-hygrometric Index (THI) and the New Summer Simmer Index (SSI). According to this, it has been determined that the thermal comfort conditions are not appropriate in the period of October-May on average monthly. The months of June and September are the most appropriate to almost all kinds of tourism and recreation activities in the outdoor in terms of thermal comfort. When THI and SSI indices’ values are evaluated together, the periods between 5 th – 25 th June and 29 th August-16 th September are the most appropriate periods in the study area on average in terms of the thermal comfort for the tourism and recreation activities in the outdoor.


Introduction
"The climate which is one and leading of many components of the inhabited environment forms direct and indirect effects on the human life and activities" *15+."Since outdoor recreation is very weather sensitive, weather and climate can be one of the most important features attracting tourists, but also present limiting factors" *25+.For the people to continue their lives in a comfortable environment, the climate conditions are also required to be appropriate to this.In this context, the human thermal comfort has a big importance" *15+.
"Thermal comfort is defined as the condition of mind that expresses satisfaction with the thermal environment (ASHRAE, 1992).Thermal comfort has very important effects on people performing outdoor recreation activities" *17+."Variables of thermal comfort are the air temperature, radiant temperature, air velocity, relative humidity, activity and clothing" *24+."There are several thermal comfort indexes which have been developed and widely used to evaluate human thermal comfort based on climatic variables such as air temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation, and wind speed as well as human factors like clothing and metabolism" *3+."It expresses the real ambient temperature that is effectively being perceived by the human organism, under specified conditions of humidity and air temperature" *7+."Because, although many factors are effective on the human thermal comfort, the temperature and humidity among them are effective in their wide areas [5] (www.bom.gov.au,2012) and have effects on everybody" *15+.
"It is known that the comfort feeling is subjective and there are different psychological and physical factors affecting this feeling.However, such kind of a study made on the human thermal comfort is interesting as it shows to what extent the climate conditions of the inhabited environment show average or optimum values in terms of climate conditions and it is also interesting in terms of determining the deviation measure from the average" *15+."On the other hand, when it is considered that the human activities cannot be always limited to the spaces which are equipped air-conditioning systems such as buildings and vehicles, the importance of this situation is clearly understood" *15+.
In this study, with reference to the above mentioned issues, it has been aimed to find an answer to the question of "How is the thermal comfort situation for human in the Goller (Lakes) District of Turkey?

Study area and material
Goller District takes place in the Antalya Subregion of the Mediterranean Region of Turkey.This area is called with this name due to the lakes of Acıgol, Egirdir, Beysehir, Burdur, Sugla, Salda, Yarıslı and Kovada (Figure 1).Goller District generally exhibits the transition area characteristics between the Mediterranean and Central Anatolian continental climate.With the natural, historical and cultural attractions that it possesses, the district shelters the locations appropriate for the tourism and recreational activities [18,2,23,1,16,19,4].On the other hand, it is very near to the Southern Aegean and Western Mediterranean coasts which are of the most important 3 S tourism destinations of Turkey and world and it takes place on the route of the local and foreign tourists who want to reach to these areas via roadway.However, in spite of this huge potential, it has the attribution of being an area which cannot take adequate shares from the tourism.In this study, the average temperature and relative humidity data of totally 11 meteorology stations selected from the Goller District of Turkey (Figure 1) have been used.Required data were obtained from the Ministry of Forestry and Water Affairs, Turkish State Meteorological Service.

Method
Thermal comfort conditions were examined in accordance with Thermo-Hygrometric Index (THI) and The Summer Simmer Index.These indexes have been calculated by considering the simultaneous effect of the temperature and relative humidity.These indices used in the study are defined briefly below.
Thermo Hygrometric Index (THI): It employs a simple linear equation; THI= T-(0, 55-0,0055RH) (T-14, 5), where T is the air temperature in C and RH is the relative humidity in %.The THI is being classified according to Table 1.

Thermo Hygrometric Index (THI) findings
THI values have been determined in the Goller District (Figure 1) on average monthly in months of May (except Beysehir), June and September in the "comfortable" category (Table 3, Table 1).In the "comfortable" category which is the most appropriate period for the tourism and recreational activities to be realized in the outdoor, the THI values have been determined on approximately 83 days (%22, 7) between 11 th May-25 th June and 29 th August -5 th October.
According to the monthly averages in the months of July and August THI values are observed in the "Hot" category (Table 3).In the study area, the values are changing and the period in which the thermal comfort decreases and in which the THI values which are qualified as "hot" are observed is on average between 26 th June -28 th August and it is approximately 64 days (%17, 5).
The THI values qualified as "cool" in the Goller District have been determined in the month of October (except Beysehir, Ulubuolu and Yalvac) and May-Beysehir (Figure1, Table 1).Between the 30 th April -10 th May and 6 th October-19 th October, it exhibits THI values in the "cool" category and the total duration is approximately 27 days (%7,5).
As its degree changing, THI values take place in the "cold" category in October (Beysehir, Uluborlu and Yalvac) / November -April period (6 / 7 months) (Table 3).As the average of the study area, on approximately 191 days (%52, 2), between 20 th October -29 th April, the THI values in the "cold" category have been determined.In this period, the winter tourism activities can be realized in the appropriate areas in the study area.

The New Summer Simmer Index (SSI) findings
According to the monthly averages, in Goller District (Figure 1), "Zone 1" is dominant in the month of June and September, "Zone 2" and "Zone 3" are dominant in the months of July and August."Out of classification" category according to SSI data corresponds to the period of November-April (six months) on monthly average (Table 4, Table 2).According to SSI index which is used in the determination of the real summer season duration, in the study area, totally 35 days (%9, 6) between 5 th June-22 nd June and 1 st September-16 th September are in "Zone 1" category.
The SSI values in the "Zone 2" category are in Beysehir, Tefenni, Uluborlu and Yalvac and they are observed continuously on 60 days (%16,4) between 30 th June -28 th August and as intermittently for approximately 32 days (%8,7) between 21 st June -8 th July and 18 th August -1 st September.
According to SSI index, the values in the "Zone 3" category are observed for approximately 40 days (%10, 9) between 9 th July -16 th August in Burdur, Dinar, Egirdir, Isparta, Korkuteli, Senirkent and Seydisehir, and they are not observed in the other centres.
On the other hand, the values for approximately 263 day-period (%71, 9) are changing between 16 th September-5 th June and they remain out of classification according to the SSI index.

Conclusion
When THI and SSI indices' values are evaluated together, the periods between 5 th -25 th June and 29 th August-16 th September are the most appropriate periods in the study area on average in terms of the thermal comfort for the tourism and recreation activities in the outdoor.However, it can be said that in the period between 5 th June -16 th September the thermal comfort conditions are generally appropriate.
The months of June and September are the most appropriate to almost all kinds of tourism and recreation activities in terms of thermal comfort.
The months of July and August are generally appropriate to the human health and activities in the outdoor.But, the months of July and August are the months in which the human thermal comfort significantly decreases due to the high temperature.At these months, it is recommended that the ones in the risk group such as mainly the ones having health problem, old persons, and children should care the type, level of the activities in the open areas and dresses as health problems can happen and they should avoid the heavy activities which will force especially the body.Also, it will be beneficial that the arising thermal comfort conditions should be announced to the persons living in the study area by using the appropriate and common communication tools and especially the ones in the risk group should be warned.
The human thermal comfort significantly decreases due to the low temperature and high relative humidity in the period of October-May as monthly average.In these periods, people should be provident against the situations which can threaten the human health.Especially the clothing should be cared and the activities which will compel the body should be avoided.
In the periods in which the climate comfort decreases in terms of the summer tourism which gets dense especially in the Southern Aegean and Western Mediterranean coasts [8,11,13,14], the study area taking place in close proximity to these areas can be an important alternative tourism area.Especially due to being in high altitude, it exhibits more comfortable climate characteristics when compared to the coasts in the summer period.

Figure 1 .
Figure 1.Location map of the study area

Table 3 .
Monthly status of THI categories in the Goller District(1987-2011 period)

Table 4 .
Monthly status of SSI categories in the Goller District(1987-2011 period)