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From: neal@druhi.ATT.COM (XGPB30000-McBurnettND(DR9225)289)
Newsgroups: comp.sys.handhelds
Subject: Re: Wind Chill Index: HEAT LOSS, NOT TEMPERATURE
Message-ID: <7346@drutx.ATT.COM>
Date: 25 Jan 91 16:21:21 GMT
References: <15458@ogicse.ogi.edu> <27838cb8:1544.3comp.sys.handhelds;1@hpcvbbs <1991Jan24.082451@ultnix.enet.dec.com> <1991Jan25.004430.19802@portia.Stanford.EDU>
Sender: news@drutx.ATT.COM
Reply-To: neal@druhi.ATT.COM (Neal D. McBurnett)
Organization: AT&T Bell Labs, Denver CO
Lines: 13

Yes, the wind chill can be below absolute zero (-273 C).  This is because
it is not really a measure of temperature, but an equivalent temperature
for the purposes of determining heat loss from bare human skin which is
at normal skin temperature.

At such low values the original formula would not really be valid, but
conceputally there is no problem with the wind chill being below 0 K.
With enough wind, you would die more quickly from exposure at 50 K (say,
in a helium atmosphere) than you would at 0 K (ignoring the fact that
your surroundings would be solid: what is the heat conductivity of solid
helium?)

-Neal McBurnett // AT&T Bell Labs, Denver // neal@druhi.ATT.COM, att!druhi!neal