A COMPARISON OF THE CUMULATIVE DISCOMFORT INDEX

(CUM. D.I.) AND CUMULATIVE EFFECTIVE TEMPERATURE

(CUM. E.T.), AS OBTAINED BY METEOROLOGICAL DATA
E. SOHAR, M. D., J. TENNENBAUM*, M. Sc. and N. ROBINSON
•Climatic Eesearch Unit, Tel-Hashomer Hospital, Tel-Hashomer, Israel
Prof. N. Robinson: Solar Physics Lab., Inst, of Technology, Haifa, Israel

Abstract—During a 24-days' march traversing several regions differing in climatic

conditions, in August 1959, two methods for the comparison of the heat load on sepa-
rate days were investigated. The Cum. E.T. which was based on the sum of E.T. degrees
for each hour of the day and night, and Cum. D.I. based on the sum of D.I. values
(modification of the method of Thorn) for each hour of the day and night.
Both methods were found equally suitable, but the Cum. D.I. method has the advan-
tage of simples measurement and calculation, as compared with the Cum. E.T. method
which necessitates the use of more instruments, tables and calculations.

Résumé—Deux méthodes pour la comparaison de la quantité de chaleur en des jours

distincts ont été examinées en août 1959, au cours de 24 jours de marche à travers diver-
ses régions présentant des conditions climatiques différentes. (1) la sommation E.T.
basée sur les degrés E.T. cumulés (Température Equivalente) pour chaque heure de
la journée et de la nuit et (2) la sommation D.I. basée sur les valeurs cumulées de D.I.
(Indice de «Disconfort») (Modification de la méthode de Thom) pour chaque heure
de la journée et de la nuit.
Les deux méthodes convenaient aussi bien l'une que l'autre, toutefois la méthode
sommation. D.I. présente l'avantage de mesures et de calculs simples, par rapport à la
méthode sommation E.T. qui nécessite davantage de calculs et des instruments et des
tables plus nombreux.

Auszug—Wáhrend eines Marsches von 24 Tagen, der im August 1959 stattfand, und bei
dem mehrere klimatisch voneinander verschiedene Regionen durchquert wurden, wur-
den zwei Methoden fur den Vergleich der Hitzebelastung an verschiedenen Tagen
untersucht. Die «Cum. E.T.» gründete sich auf die Summe von E.T.-Graden fur jede
Stunde des Tages und der Nacht; und die «Cum D.I.»-Methode gründete sich auf die
Summe der D.I.-Werte fur jede Stunde des Tages und der Nacht (Modifizierung der
Méthode von Thom).
Beide Methoden wurden als gleichermafien geeignet befunden. Die «Cum. D.I.»-
Methode hat jedoch, verglichen mit der «Cum. E.T.»-Methode, den Vorteil der ein-
fachsten A^t der Messung und der Berechnung; die letztgenannte Méthode macht die
Benutzung von mehr I n s t r u m e n t e r Tabellen und Berechnungen erforderlich.

395
396 E. SOHAB, M. D., J. TENNENBAUM, M. SC. AND N. ROBINSON

T H E experiment reported was designed so as to find a method of comparing the

heat load on separate days with the aid of simple meteorological measure-
ments.

METHODS
During a 24-day march traversing the length of Israel, in August 1959, dry and
wet bulb temperatures and wind velocity were measured each hour of the day and
night. From these data the effective temperature (1—4) was worked out for each
hour of the day according to the tables of the American Society of Heating and
Ventilating Engineers. Simultaneously the discomfort index (D.I.) was worked out
according to a modification of the method described b y Thorn (5). Thorn found t h a t
changes in the sum of the dry and wet bulb temperatures follow a similar pattern
as changes in the effective temperature under the same conditions. The difference
between the two methods is, that the discomfort index does not necessitate the
measuring of the wind velocity, which is necessary for the estimation of the effective
temperature.
In an attempt to express the discomfort index in numbers which approach the
degrees of (Fahrenheit) temperature which are usually associated with the feeling
of discomfort due to heat Thorn reached the following formula:
D.I. = ltd + tw) X 0.4 + 15
where td — dry bulb temperature (°F);
tw — wet bulb temperature (°F) .
According to this formula the dry and wet bulb temperatures are equally impor-
t a n t in respect to man's feeling of discomfort in heat.
In an attempt to simplify the method and consider the fact t h a t temperature in
Israel is measured in °C, Thorn's formula was modified this:
D.I. = td + tw
(where the temperatures are measured in °C).
Discomfort due to heat begins when the temperature exceeds 24 °C and the
relative humidity is 100 per cent, i. e. when both dry bulb and wet bulb tempera-

FIG. 1. Hourly effective temperature (E.T.) (in °C) for the establishment
of the cumulative effective temperature (Cum. E.T.), on 4 August 1959
near the Gulf of Eilat. (Horizontal line denotes 24°C E.T., abcve which
discomfort due to heat commences.)
 A Comparison of the Cumulative Discomfort Index 397

tures are 24 °C. We therefore chose a D.I. of 48 as the beginning of heat discomfort,
this value being parallel to 24 °C on the effective temperature scale.
In order to obtain a comparison of various days the number of degrees of E.T.
exceeding 24° C for each hour of the day and night were obtained (Fig. 1) and the

FIG. 2. Hourly discomfort index (D.I.) for the establishment of the cumu-
lative discomfort index (Cum. D.I.), on 4 August 1959, near the Gulf of
Eilat. (Horizontal line denotes D.I. of 48, above which discomfort due to
heat commences.)

sum of all these was designated the cumulative effective temperature (Cum. E.T.).
Similarly the sum of all D.I. values above 48 for each hour was designated the
cumulative discomfort index (Cum. D.I.) (Pig. 2).

RESULTS
The measurements were carried out on twenty-four consecutive days in various
regions of the country differing widely in their climatic conditions. The march
began at the Gulf of Eilat, passed through a dry mountain desert, then along the
coast with its high relative humidity, and ended in the Jordan Valley.
Fig. 3 shows the maximum and minimum temperature and maximum and min-
imum relative humidity for each day of the march. It clearly demonstrates the wide
variation of climatic conditions during the experiment.
The daily Cum. E.T. a n d Cum. D.I. values for the 24 days are listed in Table
1 and represented graphically in Pig. 4. The good correlation between these two
methods is noticeable.
398 E. SOHAB, M. D., J. TENNENBAUM, M. Se. AND N. ROBINSON

FIG. 3. Daily maximum and minimum dry-bulb temperature (°C) and

relative humidity, August 1959

F I G . 4. Cumulative effective temperature (Cum. E.T.) and cumulative

discomfort index (Cum. D.I.), August 1959
 A Comparison of the Cumulative Discomfort Index 399

DISCUSSION
The good correlation between the two methods is somewhat puzzling if we consider
the fact t h a t the wind provides a certain amount of cooling, and while it is taken
into account in the estimation of the E.T. it is completely ignored in the measure-
ment of the D.I.

Table 1. Daily Cumulative Effective Temperature (Cum E.T.)

and Cumulative Discomfort Index
{Cum. D. I.), August 1959

Date C u m . E.T. C u m . D.I.

(Aug. 1959)
3 49 170
4 30 141
5 15.5 76.2
6 17.6 59.2
7 11.6 60
8 16.3 72
9 — 0.7
10 5.7 31
11 4.7 26.5
12 — 21.3
13 4.7 55.3
14 10 52
15 24.6 81.5
16 9.6 41.5
17 4.1 50.2
18 17.3 52.3
19 2.7 38.0
20 8.6 36.3
21 3.0 30.6
22 8.9 29.3
23 8.6 76
24 31.3 129.5
25 22.3 90.4
26 14.6 47.5

In Israel the prevailing wind during day-time is a light wind coming from the
direction of the sea. The temperature of this wind is below the skin temperature,
and it causes a rise of the relative humidity. At the same time, however, it decreases
the dry bulb temperature a n d through this affects the D.I.
In one region in the country (the Gulf of Eilat) during August there is a dry
wind which is hotter than the skin temperature. This wind of course will not decrease
the D.I., b u t on the other hand it is doubtful whether such a wind has only a cooling
effect or whether it also adds to the temperature of a body exposed to it by means
of conduction.
400 E. SOHAR, M. D., J. TENNENBAUM, M. Sc. AND N. ROBINSON

The good correlation between these two methods (in the conditions prevailing
in Israel in the summer) makes it possible to use both methods for the determination
of the daily heat load. The obvious advantage of the Cum. D.I. method is that it
is simple and rapid and can be measured in the field with the aid of a relatively
inexpensive instrument — the sling psychrometer — whereas the E.T. necessitates
the use of at least an additional instrument, not to mention tables and calculations.

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air velocities. Trans. Amer. Soc. Heat. Vent. Engrs, ,30, 193 (1924).
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Soc. Heat. Vent. Engn. 31, 89 (1925).
4. Heating, Ventilating and Air'Conditioning Guide (1956).
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