Variability of German Winter Temperature in Relation to Human Performance and Its Implications for Tactical Military Operations

摘要

Germany's climate and geographical location have historically played an important role in the outcome of many military campaigns. Modern climatic conditions will likewise effect exposed military personnel. Exposed soldiers respond physiologically and behaviorally to extreme cold depending on their energy stores, sex, build, race, and metabolic activity. These responses are reviewed in terms of the energy balance of the human body, the factors which limit thermogenesis, and the various means of measuring and assessing the impact of temperature. A value of C, the temperature at which human tissue freezes, is used as a threshold at which the adverse effects of cold become significant to military operations to include decreased resistance to infection and levels of performance. German winter temperature can be characterized by large intraseasonal and interannual variability and a general lack of persistence of climatic elements.