Measurement of Environmental Physical Parameters

Abstract

Any artefact is influenced by the surrounding environment, in terms of stress produced by physical factors such as temperature, light irradiation and humidity, and, in a more general sense, by the microclimate resulting from the synergy of all these factors (Stainer et al, 1984; Fea, 1988; Monteith, 1990; Camuffo et al., 2001). The action of the climate is continuous, and its effects usually appear in the long run, since they are caused by the succession of the characteristic stages of the system, such as the alternation of night and day and the sequence of the seasons. These changes may produce direct actions due to thermal, radiative and hygrométrie stress on the surface, both through the simple phenomena of evaporation and condensation, and through more complex physical and chemical phenomena, such as the activation of chemical reactions due to incident radiation or to the availability of condensation water. On the one hand, the continuous action of the local microclimate produces a deterioration in the long run, but on the other hand, a sudden change in the local microclimate (changes in rainfall, in the wind regime, or in the maximum and minimum temperatures) produces effects on a shorter time scale. Another factor that is fundamental for the intensity of the interaction is the position of the artefact, whether it be out of doors, indoors or underground.