Urban canyon
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An urban canyon is an artefact of an urban environment similar to a natural canyon. It is manifested by streets cutting through dense blocks of structures, especially skyscrapers, which causes a canyon effect. Examples of urban canyon include the Magnificent Mile in Chicago, the Canyon of Heroes in Manhattan, and Hong Kong's Kowloon and Central districts.
Urban canyons have an impact on various local conditions:
- radio reception, particularly reception of GPS signals.
- wind speed, as moving air is channeled and accelerated
- temperature, which can be elevated 5-10 degrees F (2-4 degrees C) and contributes to the urban heat island effect
- air quality, where locally stagnant air concentrates pollutants near ground level
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