Development of Frostbite in the Fingers
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Abstract
Physiologically, frostbite can only occur after a segment of tissue has been exposed to the elements for sufficient time such that the tissue temperature remains constant at 0 ?C and the solutions inside the tissue itself begin to form ice crystals and freeze. We will be exploring the time necessary for the development of each of the four degrees of frostbite as a function of the weather conditions , which will be represented by a reference temperature and a heat transfer coefficient (hc) based on the wind velocity. Additionally, we will also give consideration to two different insulation scenarios (bare finger versus gloved fingered) in order to determine the optimal type of insulation for different weather conditions. Our results, in the format of individual contour plots for selected temperatures and each of the insulation scenarios will provide insight into the relative danger of frostbite development and determine exactly what portions of the finger are most at risk.