How much do beach umbrellas protect against the heat? Study reveals unexpected results

How much do beach umbrellas protect from the heat? The study showed unexpected results.

It turned out that sheltering from the heat under a beach umbrella or canopy is not as effective as expected. Scientists have found that the temperature under the shade can be only 1 degree lower than in the open sun.

The idea for the study came to the scientists themselves while they were on vacation. According to the head of the study, Georg Wohlfarth, "It was very hot. One of our colleagues pointed a thermal camera at the umbrella. We were shocked to see that its surface had heated up to 70 degrees."

According to the results of the study, presented by ecologists from the University of Innsbruck at the General Assembly of the European Geosciences Union, although the umbrella fabric protects a person from direct sunlight, the fabric itself heats up strongly and begins to radiate heat to the surroundings. The heated sand also serves as an additional source of heat, and continues to emit heat even under the shade.

To determine how comfortable a person would be under an umbrella, the researchers created a mathematical model. It took into account solar radiation, infrared heat emitted by the umbrella and sand, as well as humidity, wind and air temperature.

According to calculations, the temperature difference between the sun and the shade is only 1 degree on average. Even in the morning and evening, when the sun is close to the horizon, it can be warmer under an umbrella than in the open air.

Now the scientists plan to conduct practical experiments to test their conclusions in real conditions.