Researchers at TPU are calculating the harm forests fires inflict on health.
Laying the Groundwork for Monitoring Lung Health During Forest Fires
Researchers at Tomsk Polytechnic University (TPU) are developing a mathematical model to comprehend the influence of forest fire particles on human respiratory paths. This work will form the basis for a health monitoring system, as reported by the university's press office on Tuesday.
Forest fires can inflict significant economic and ecological damage, and they're detrimental to human health too. However, comprehensive studies exploring the extent of their impact on human health are yet to be conducted.
The engineers at TPU's School of Energy are working on a mathematical model that studies the thermal mass transfer of carbon and soot particles, as well as the surface tissues of human respiratory paths, under the conditions of forest fire pollution. To achieve this, they formulate new physical and mathematical models for the thermal interaction within the "particle - human tissue" system.
According to information from the project's lead, Associate Professor Nikolay Baranovsky of the I.N. Butakov Scientific and Educational Center at TPU, the model will be based on synthetic statistical data regarding forest fires, the thermal physical properties of human tissues, the thermal physical and kinetic properties of carbon particles, and the characteristics of typical forest fires.
Ultimately, the researchers aim to create a mathematical system that serves as the foundation for healthcare systems for monitoring and predicting health during forest fires.
"Usually, health assessments are conducted through statistical data analysis and real-time monitoring of individual health status. However, this isn't enough for predicting the impact of forest fires on public health. Fundamental research is necessary to combine both statistical, probabilistic criteria and scenario modeling," Baranovsky notes.
Furthermore, once the mathematical system has been approved, researchers plan to enlist the assistance of medical specialists. The TPU researchers' work on this project is supported by a grant from the Russian Science Foundation (No 25-21-00017).
Sources suggest that the development of such a mathematical model for understanding the influence of forest fire particles on human respiratory systems would need to consider factors like particle size distribution, composition of particles, inhalation rates, and exposure duration. These models often use complex differential equations to simulate how these particles affect respiratory function and health outcomes. However, without specific details from TPU, it remains unclear how their model or methodology differs from standard approaches.
- The mathematical model developed by engineers at TPU's School of Energy is formulated with synthetic statistical data regarding forest fires, the thermal physical properties of human tissues, the thermal physical and kinetic properties of carbon particles, and the characteristics of typical forest fires, for termo kineticical studies of carbon and soot particles and human respiratory tissues during forest fire pollution.
- As reported by the university's press office, the research aims to create a mathematical system that serves as the foundation for healthcare systems for monitoring and predicting health during forest fires, particularly focusing on medical-conditions related to lung health and health-and-wellness during environmental-science events such as forest fires.
- The project's lead, Associate Professor Nikolay Baranovsky, notes that instead of relying solely on statistical data analysis and real-time monitoring of individual health status, fundamental research is necessary to combine both statistical, probabilistic criteria and scenario modeling for a more comprehensive understanding of the impact of forest fires on public health.
- The TPU researchers' work on this project is supported by a grant from the Russian Science Foundation (No 25-21-00017), and they plan to enlist the assistance of medical specialists once the mathematical system has been approved, as they consider factors like particle size distribution, composition of particles, inhalation rates, and exposure duration for a more accurate representation of the effects of forest fires on human health.
