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Abstract When conducting large‐eddy simulations (LESs) of plume dispersion in the atmosphere, crucial issue is to prescribe time‐dependent turbulent inflow data. Therefore, several techniques for driving LESs have been proposed. For example, in the original recycling (OR) method developed by Kataoka and Mizuno (Wind and Structures, 2002, 5, 379–392), a mean wind profile is prescribed at the inlet boundary, the only fluctuating components extracted at the downstream position are recycled to the inlet boundary. Although the basic turbulence characteristics are reproduced with a short development section, it is difficult to generate target turbulent fluctuations consistent with realistic atmospheric turbulence. In this study, we proposed a dynamically controlled recycling (DCR) method that is a simple extension of the OR procedure. In this method, the magnitude of turbulent fluctuations is dynamically controlled to match with the target turbulent boundary layer (TBL) flow using a turbulence enhancement coefficient based on the ratio of the target turbulence statistics to the computed ones. When compared to the recommended data of Engineering Science Data Unit (ESDU) 85020, the turbulence characteristics generated by our proposed method were quantitatively reproduced well. Furthermore, the spanwise and vertical plume spreads were also simulated well. It is concluded that the DCR method successfully simulates plume dispersion in neutral TBL flows.

A multiscale numerical framework has been developed to investigate the dispersion of deep-sea hydrothermal plumes that originate from the Endeavour Segment of the Juan de Fuca Ridge located in the Northeast Pacific. The analysis of simulation outputs presented in this study provides insights into the influences of tidal forcing and the buoyancy flux associated with hydrothermal venting on ocean circulation and plume dispersion in the presence of pronounced seafloor topography. The results indicate that tidal forcing drives anti-cyclonic circulation near the ridge-axis, while hydrothermal venting induces cyclonic circulation around vent fields within the axial rift valley. Tidal forcing has a notable impact on plume dispersion, particularly near the large topographic features to the north of the Endeavour Segment. Furthermore, plume dispersion exhibits notable inter-annual variability, with a northbound trajectory in 2016 and a southbound trajectory in 2021. The study also reveals that both buoyancy fluxes and tidal forcing enhance the mixing of hydrothermal plumes with ambient seawater.

A gas well blowout in south central Texas in November 2019 that lasted for 20 days provided a unique opportunity to test the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model's plume dispersion against hydrocarbon air monitoring data at two nearby state monitoring stations. We estimated daily blowout hydrocarbon emission rates from satellite measurement-based results on methane emissions in conjunction with previously reported composition data of the local hydrocarbon resource. Using highly elevated hydrocarbon mixing ratios observed during several days at the two downwind monitoring stations, we calculated excess abundances above expected local background mixing ratios. Subsequent comparisons to HYSPLIT plume dispersion model outputs, generated using High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) or North American Mesoscale (NAM) forecast meteorological input data, showed that the model generally reproduces both the timing and magnitude of the plume in various meteorological conditions. Absolute hydrocarbon mixing ratios could typically be reproduced within a factor of two. However, when lower emission rate estimates provided by the company in charge of the well were used, downwind hydrocarbon observations could not be reproduced. Overall, our results suggest that HYSPLIT, in combination with high-resolution meteorological input data, is a useful tool to accurately forecast chemical plume dispersion and potential human exposure in disaster situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrothermal vents are a source of many trace metals to the oceans. Compared to mid-ocean ridges, hydrothermal vent systems at arcs occur in shallower water depth and are much more diverse in fluid composition, resulting in highly variable water column trace metal concentrations. However, only few studies have focused on trace metal dynamics in hydrothermal plumes at volcanic arcs. During R/V Sonne cruise SO253 in 2016/2017, hydrothermal plumes from two hydrothermally active submarine volcanoes along the Kermadec arc in the Southwest Pacific Ocean were sampled: (1) Macauley, a magmatic dominated vent site located in water depths between 300 and 680 m, and (2) Brothers, located between 1,200 and 1,600 m water depth, where hydrothermalism influenced by water rock interactions and magmatically influenced vent sites occur near each other. Surface currents estimated from satellite-altimeter derived currents and direct measurements at the sites using lowered acoustic Doppler current profilers indicate the oceanic regime is dominated by mesoscale eddies. At both volcanoes, results indicated strong plumes of dissolved trace metals, notably Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd, La, and Pb, some of which are essential micronutrients. Dissolved metal concentrations commonly decreased with distance from the vents, as to be expected, however, certain element/Fe ratios increased, suggesting a higher solubility of these elements and/or their stronger stabilization (e.g., for Zn compared to Fe). Our data indicate that at the magmatically influenced Macauley and Brothers cone sites, the transport of trace metals is strongly controlled by sulfide nanoparticles, while at the Brothers NW caldera wall site iron oxyhydroxides seem to dominate the trace metal transport over sulfides. Solution stabilization of trace metals by organic complexation appears to compete with particle adsorption processes. As well as extending the generally sparse data set for hydrothermal plumes at volcanic arc systems, our study presents the first data on several dissolved trace metals in the Macauley system, and extends the existing plume dataset of Brothers volcano. Our data further indicate that chemical signatures and processes at arc volcanoes are highly diverse, even on small scales.

Seawater desalination has been considered an important solution for the water scarcity in coastal areas. Brazil has an 8,000 km long coastline where population and tourism have grown tremendously in the last years. Fortaleza is the fifth-largest city in Brazil with nearly 2.6 million inhabitants, representing an important economic, recreational and touristic area in the Northeast. In addition, it is the city with the greatest gross domestic product (GDP) in the region, and ninth in the country. In the past 7 y, the dams that supply water to the Metropolitan Region of Fortaleza have undergone droughts. This led the government to start a large-scale seawater desalination project that shall produce desalinated water at about 1.0 m3/s, for which plant location, water intake and brine disposal studies were performed. The most common environmental impact associated with desalination plants is the high concentration brine discharge. Aiming to evaluate the possible impact of such discharges, environmental modeling has become an important tool for projects, environmental management and studies, due to the complexity of these environments. With this tool, it is possible to integrate a large number of variables and processes to obtain a dynamic vision of those systems and evaluate present and future conditions. This work presents outcomes from brine discharge modeling in the water quality of the coast of Fortaleza, in particular, increased salinity, using Visual Plumes to evaluate near-field dilution and SisBaHiA (Environmental Hydrodynamic Base System) software to generate a hydrodynamic model and evaluate far-field dilution. Hydrodynamic models, forced by wind and tide, were coupled with a wave propagation model and then used in a Lagrangian transport model, which was fed by the outcomes of the near-field model. From the results generated, it was identified that the installation of the proposed desalination plant in Fortaleza does not compromise water quality and is consistent with the results reported in the literature, regarding the reduced impact caused by the disposal of this type of concentrate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Uses a drone for air quality measurement and monitoring of a large area. • Locates an air pollution emission source within 2 m in under 20 min. • Searches an emission source by following its plume dispersion. • Adjusts the search drone's flight path dynamically by the pollution concentration level from onboard sensors. • Proposes three search algorithms with comprehensive comparisons and analysis of the result. In this research, we propose a method with three search algorithms, namely Greedy, Dynamic, and Hybrid, to exploit the ability of a drone to efficiently and accurately locate air pollution (i.e., particulate matter) emission sources. Currently, most of the existing stationed environment sensor systems can provide continuous monitoring information of air quality such as PM 2.5 (Particulate Metter 2.5) or CO 2 (carbon dioxide) but are unable to pinpoint the location of the emission source. The proposed method utilizes the PM2.5 concentration information provided by the existing sensing system to initialize the search plan by limiting a search area. Based on the initial sensing information, a drone with an onboard air quality sensor will adjust its searching direction and distance to an intermediate point. After an intermediate location point is reached, the drone will pause and sense the PM2.5 concentration at the current location. Next, the drone continues to adjust the search path with its searching direction and distance based on the sensed PM 2.5 concentration level until the emission source is located. Utilizing the information provided by both an existing sensing system and an onboard sensor, the drone is able to make correct decisions when searching for pollution sources. In the experiments, three proposed algorithms and two common search methods are compared under different settings. Experiment results showed our proposed method is able to achieve a location estimation error below 2 m within 20 min. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• River plumes are a source of pollutants in the Great Barrier Reef, Australia. • Plume dispersion is simulated using a coupled Lagrangian-Eulerian-ocean model. • Lagrangian particle density is computed from application of Voronoi diagrams. • Lagrangian particle densities and Eulerian tracer concentrations are comparable. • Lagrangian model is validated using satellite imagery and satellite Chlorophyll-a. In this paper, we describe methods to verify the adequacy and accuracy of Lagrangian particles from a Lagrangian model to reproduce the concentrations of a passive tracer from an Eulerian-model in river plumes. The modelling simulates plumes from two major rivers discharging in the Great Barrier Reef (GBR), Australia, under real-world scenarios. The study has been a part of a major project to aid in the protection of the GBR system from the impacts of extreme events and climate change. We employ the Regional Ocean Modelling System (ROMS) activated with its built-in Lagrangian model, and forced with wind fields from global models and recorded river volume discharges. The ROMS-Lagrangian model tracks the Lagrangian particles using the spatially interpolated velocities computed on the Eulerian ROMS three-dimensional (3D) grid. The Lagrangian particles are released in the river in proportion to the measured river volume flux. We apply a novel technique that exploits Voronoi polygon areas to convert Lagrangian particle separation into a concentration field. This facilitates comparison with the passive tracer concentrations driven by the Eulerian velocities computed on the ROMS 3D grid. We evaluate the fate of Lagrangian particles activated on a 4-km grid resolution with those of equivalent Eulerian tracer concentrations. For validation, we compare the Lagrangian particles with the Eulerian passive tracer simulated using a higher model grid resolution of 500-m, and found that the computed Lagrangian particle concentrations showed similar overall patterns compared to the passive tracer concentrations from both the coarse 4-km, and high-resolution 500-m Eulerian models. The spatial extent of the particles was in better agreement with the coarse 4-km model than with the higher resolution 500-m model. The clustering of particles resulted in structures at finer scales than the Eulerian model, over the high particle density areas that compared well against observations. The Lagrangian particles are able to capture the general river plume patterns seen in the satellite MODIS images and the satellite derived Chlorophyll-a. We further compare the online ROMS model with an offline particle tracker, OceanPARCELS and determined the similarity of results from both online and offline methods. Overall, our study demonstrates the viability to use Lagrangian particles to reproduce the Eulerian tracer properties, which can be combined with particle properties include tracer age providing to enhance the guidance on the distribution and concentration of effluent from localised flooding river events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dispersion of air pollutants emitted from industries has been studied ever since the dawn of industrialisation. The present work focuses on investigating the effect of negative atmospheric temperature gradient and the plume stack orientation of two individual equal-height stacks on the vertical rise and dispersion of the plume. The study carried out upon three-stack layout configurations namely inline, 45° and non-inline, separated by an inter-stack distance of 12 times the exit chimney diameter (12 D) and 22 times the exit chimney diameter (22 D) in each case over the two temperature gradients of −0.2 K/100 m and −0.5 K/100 m. The turbulence is modelled using realisable k-ε model, a model used in the FLUENT flow solver. In the case of the inline configuration, the upwind plume shields its downwind counterpart, which in turn allows for higher plume rise at a given temperature gradient. The plume oscillates more in the case of inline than 45° and non-inline cases. Also, for a temperature gradient of −0.5 K/100 m, the plumes oscillate violently in the vertical direction, mainly because, with the initial rise of the plume, cold air from higher altitudes moves down and forms a layer of lower temperature closer to the ground. The present study is important to highlight the plume dispersion characteristics under negative temperature gradient conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A gas well blowout in south central Texas in November 2019 that lasted for 20 days provided a unique opportunity to test the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) model’s plume dispersion against hydrocarbon air monitoring data at two nearby state monitoring stations. We estimated daily blowout hydrocarbon emission rates from satellite measurement-based results on methane emissions in conjunction with previously reported composition data of the local hydrocarbon resource. Using highly elevated hydrocarbon mixing ratios observed during several days at the two downwind monitoring stations, we calculated excess abundances above expected local background mixing ratios. Subsequent comparisons to HYSPLIT plume dispersion model outputs, generated using High-Resolution Rapid Refresh (HRRR) or North American Mesoscale (NAM) forecast meteorological input data, showed that the model generally reproduces both the timing and magnitude of the plume in various meteorological conditions. Absolute hydrocarbon mixing ratios could typically be reproduced within a factor of two. However, when lower emission rate estimates provided by the company in charge of the well were used, downwind hydrocarbon observations could not be reproduced. Overall, our results suggest that HYSPLIT, in combination with high-resolution meteorological input data, is a useful tool to accurately forecast chemical plume dispersion and potential human exposure in disaster situations.

The flow vectors of radioactive cesium-137 (137Cs) plume emitted from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in March 2011 were quantitatively depicted by a mass flux analysis in this study. 137Cs plumes were calculated by an Eulerian dispersion model with a 3-km horizontal resolution. The vertically column-integrated mass flux was consistent with the flow approximation based on ground surface 137Cs observations, even though there were some discrepancies that were caused by differences in the wind direction between the ground surface and the dominant plume layer. These discrepancies were explained by combining the use of the ground surface horizontal mass flux with the column-integrated mass flux. The mass flux analysis clearly provided an illustration of 137Cs dominant stream locations, directions, and depositions by reducing high-dimensional model outputs into a lower-dimensional plot. Mass flux (i.e. the product of the mass density and wind velocity) has often been used in dynamic meteorology but has not been used as frequently in atmospheric chemistry or pollutant dispersion studies. However, the concept of mass flux is a robust alternative for conventional validation approaches that only utilize a time series of pollutant concentrations. Mass flux analyses can be used further in atmospheric chemistry as a quantitative visualization tool to track the emission, advection, dispersion, and deposition of atmospheric constituents.

Volcanoes are natural phenomena that have global environmental impacts. Satellite remote sensing can help classify volcanic eruptions and track the dispersion of emissions. We assess multiple volcanic eruptions in Iceland (Eyjafjallajökull 2010, Grímsvötn 2011, and Holuhraun 2014–2015), using space‐borne observations to infer information about the geological dynamics of each volcano and the properties and evolution of plume particles. We derive qualitative constraints on plume particle size, shape, and light‐absorption characteristics from Multiangle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) space‐borne imagery. With the MISR Research Algorithm (RA), we distinguish sulfate/water‐dominated volcanic plumes from Holuhraun and ash‐dominated plumes from Eyjafjallajökull and Grímsvötn, and even identify subtler changes in ash particle size and light‐absorption within plumes. Additionally, plume heights are retrieved geometrically from MISR. These are combined with surface thermal anomalies from the MODerate resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and SO2 concentrations derived from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) to synthesize eruption remote‐sensing chronologies. Signals related to differences in particle properties are identified and linked to evolving magma composition at Eyjafjallajökull. The results illustrate the potential to distinguish qualitative differences in eruptive magma composition based on particle light absorption and plume profile from remote‐sensing. For the sulfate‐rich Holuhraun plumes, the influence of aerosol hygroscopic growth during transport is inferred from such data. Three processes appear to dominate plume evolution in Iceland: downwind aerosol formation, particle hydration, and particle deposition. This work demonstrates enhanced MISR capabilities and, more generally, remote‐sensing analysis that can be applied globally, especially where suborbital volcano observations are limited or entirely absent. Key Points: Remote sensing observations of Icelandic eruptions distinguish different types of volcanic emissionsEvidence of downwind aerosol formation, particle hydration, and possible activation were identified in Icelandic plumesVariations in derived particle proxies in ash‐rich plumes correlate with changes in eruptive processes and magma composition [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Large-eddy simulation (LES) experiments have been performed using the Parallelized LES Model (PALM). A methodology for validating and understanding LES results for plume dispersion and concentration fluctuations in an atmospheric-like flow is presented. A wide range of grid resolutions is shown to be necessary for investigating the convergence of statistical characteristics of velocity and scalar fields. For the scalar, the statistical moments up to the fourth order and the shape of the concentration probability density function (p.d.f.) are examined. The mean concentration is influenced by grid resolution, with the highest resolution simulation showing a lower mean concentration, linked to larger turbulent structures. However, a clear tendency to convergence of the concentration variance is observed at the two higher resolutions. This behaviour is explained by showing that the mechanisms driving the mean and the variance are differently influenced by the grid resolution. The analysis of skewness and kurtosis allows also the obtaining of general results on plume concentration fluctuations. Irrespective of grid resolution, a family of Gamma p.d.f.s well represents the shape of the concentration p.d.f. but only beyond the peak of the concentration fluctuation intensity. In the early plume dispersion phases, the moments of the p.d.f. are in good agreement with those generated by a fluctuating plume model. To the best of our knowledge, our study demonstrates for the first time that, if resolution and averaging time are adequate, atmospheric LES provides a trustworthy representation of the high order moments of the concentration field, up to the fourth order, for a dispersing plume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contaminant gas dispersion within an urban area resulting from accidental or intentional release is of great concern to public health and social security. When estimating plume dispersion in a built-up urban area under real meteorological conditions by computational fluid dynamics (CFD), a crucial issue is how to prescribe the input conditions. There are typically two approaches: using the outputs of a mesoscale meteorological simulation (MMS) model and meteorological observations (OBS). However, the influences of the different approaches on the simulation results have not been fully demonstrated. In this study, we conducted large-eddy simulations (LESs) of plume dispersion in the urban central district of Oklahoma City under real meteorological conditions by coupling with a MMS model and OBS obtained at a single stationary point, and evaluated the two different coupling simulations in comparison with the field experiments. The LES–MMS coupling showed better performance than the LES–OBS one. The latter one also showed a reasonable performance comparable to the acceptance criteria on the model prediction within a factor of two of the experimental data. These facts indicate that the approach using observations at a single stationary point still has enough potential to drive CFD models for plume dispersion under real meteorological conditions.

We conducted single-model initial-perturbed ensemble simulations to quantify uncertainty in aerosol dispersion modeling, focusing on a point-source radioactive aerosol emitted from the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) in March 2011. The ensembles of the meteorological variables were prepared using a data assimilation system that consisted of a non-hydrostatic weather-forecast model with a 3-km horizontal resolution and a four-dimensional local ensemble transform Kalman filter (4D-LETKF) with 20 ensemble members. The emission of radioactive aerosol was not perturbed. The weather and aerosol simulations were validated with in-situ measurements at Hitachi and Tokai, respectively, approximately 100 km south of the FDNPP. The ensemble simulations provided probabilistic information and multiple case scenarios for the radioactive aerosol plumes. Some of the ensemble members successfully reproduced the arrival time and intensity of the radioactive aerosol plumes, even when the deterministic simulation failed to reproduce them. We found that a small ensemble spread of wind speed produced large uncertainties in aerosol concentrations.

Floating LNG bunkering offshore terminal (FLBT) has been adopted as a floating unit by the marine industry equipped with the natural gas liquefaction plant on the ship's deck with the practical interest in controlling the plume emission discharged from the ship. The downwash of emitted plumes has adverse consequences on the ship's engine intake and ventilation system followed by the interference of the smoke with helicopter operations. Owing to this fact, understanding of the plume behavior is considered to be so significant in the aspect of ship design and thereby, flow visualization techniques assist to study the plume path ensuring the safety of the personnel and functioning system. The unignited flare gas emitted from the tower invites heat transfer due to the temperature difference between the atmospheric wind and the ship's exhaust, which follows the examination of mixing enhancement of fluid mediums as well as the mitigation of plume concentration depending upon wind speeds. The parametric study is intended to investigate the plume dispersion pattern around a ship based on the flare motion and bending angle for light and strong wind speeds. It is observed that the plume gas rises higher and disperses over the larger area with wider streamline separation due to the effect of buoyancy for light wind speeds. On the other hand, the motion of flare gas is found to be narrow for strong winds restricting vertical movements due to dominant inertial forces than gravity pull. Thus, the current numerical investigation facilitates in understanding the configuration and plume distribution by the variation in streamline behavior with contours plots. In this work, the calculated results are analyzed systematically in pretty realistic conditions and simple measures are obtained, which will be applied to the preliminary design of plume stack depending on the ship's deck arrangement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Marine cloud brightening (MCB) is a potential intervention to mitigate the effects of climate change by increasing the reflectance of low-level maritime clouds, including those over the Great Barrier Reef. The technique involves dispersing a plume of submicrometer seawater droplets over the ocean, which evaporate, generating nanosized sea-salt aerosols (SSAs) that disperse through the atmosphere with some fraction incorporated into clouds. Droplet evaporation, which occurs in the immediate vicinity (meters to tens of meters) of the source, has been theorized to produce a negatively buoyant plume hindering the mixing of the sea-salt aerosol to cloud height and compromising the effectiveness of MCB. We characterized in situ for the first time the nearfield aerosol dispersion from a point source of atomized seawater produced using the effervescent technique. We observed consistent vertical mixing of the plume up to 150 ± 5 m height at 1 km downwind. The extent of vertical dispersion was influenced by wind velocity and atmospheric stability. We found no evidence that negative buoyancy due to the evaporation of the 0.068 kg/s water fraction significantly suppressed vertical mixing. Our results can be attributed to the small droplet sizes generated by the effervescent spray technology and associated low flow rates required to generate around 10 14 droplets s -1 . We estimate that, for a hypothetical implementation producing up to 10 16 s -1 similarly sized SSAs, evaporative cooling is unlikely to significantly suppress the vertical dispersion of aerosol for MCB.

The flow vectors of radioactive cesium-137 (137Cs) plume emitted from the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant in March 2011 were quantitatively depicted by a mass flux analysis in this study. 137Cs plumes were calculated by an Eulerian dispersion model with a 3-km horizontal resolution. The vertically column-integrated mass flux was consistent with the flow approximation based on ground surface 137Cs observations, even though there were some discrepancies that were caused by differences in the wind direction between the ground surface and the dominant plume layer. These discrepancies were explained by combining the use of the ground surface horizontal mass flux with the column-integrated mass flux. The mass flux analysis clearly provided an illustration of 137Cs dominant stream locations, directions, and depositions by reducing high-dimensional model outputs into a lower-dimensional plot. Mass flux (i.e. the product of the mass density and wind velocity) has often been used in dynamic meteorology but has not been used as frequently in atmospheric chemistry or pollutant dispersion studies. However, the concept of mass flux is a robust alternative for conventional validation approaches that only utilize a time series of pollutant concentrations. Mass flux analyses can be used further in atmospheric chemistry as a quantitative visualization tool to track the emission, advection, dispersion, and deposition of atmospheric constituents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The low temperature plume exhausted from a cryogenic wind tunnel may sink down, posing a severe threat to public health and safety. Quantitative risk assessment of cryogenic plume flow behavior therefore plays an important role in the design and optimization of a cryogenic wind tunnel. A numerical model with a modified Hertz-Knudsen relation considering the phase change physics of the small quantity of water involved is applied to analyze the dispersion of the low temperature nitrogen plume exhausted from a 0.3 m cryogenic wind tunnel. The homogeneous multiphase flow is modeled using the single-fluid mixture model. A model validation is presented for the exhaust plume from the US National Transonic Facility (NTF). The predicted results are found to be better than those predicted by National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA)’s two-stage analytical model. The influences of the environmental wind speed, the environmental wind temperature, the relative humidity, and the exhaust flow rate, on low temperature nitrogen plume dispersion are obtained. In particular, the parametric sensitivities of different influence factors are analyzed. The environmental wind temperature and the exhaust flow rate of the nitrogen gas have greater impact on the temperature of the plume near the ground than do the environmental wind speed and the relative humidity. The exhaust flow rate of the nitrogen gas has greater impact on the oxygen concentration near the ground than does the environmental wind speed, while the environmental wind temperature and the relative humidity have negligible impacts. The results provide guidance on the operation and design improvement of a cryogenic gaseous nitrogen discharge system to avoid its potential hazards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Turbulent Schmidt number as an important parameter in computational fluid dynamic (CFD) simulations is strongly dependent on height, whereas it is mostly considered to be constant in the literature. This paper presents a new variable turbulent Schmidt number formulation which can calculate the relative concentrations (RCs) in neutral atmospheric conditions more accurately. To achieve this aim, RCs from continuous releases are calculated in different distances by the analytical Gaussian plume mode. CFD simulations are carried out for single stack dispersion on a flat terrain surface and an inverse procedure is then applied so that different turbulent Schmidt numbers are used as inputs to determine the RCs to select the 'best-fit' turbulent Schmidt number value. This process is continued for different heights to fit a curve to obtain the new formulation for turbulent Schmidt number varying with height. The values are compared with experimental results. The comparison indicates that the new formulation for turbulent Schmidt number is more accurate and reliable than previous research works. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Particle number concentrations and size distributions resulting from the firework displays held in Budapest, Hungary every year on St. Stephen's Day were studied over a period of seven years. In the year most impacted, the total particle number concentration reached its peak measured level of 369 × 103 cm−3 5 min after the end of the display, and returned to the pre-event state within 45 min. The fireworks increased hourly mean concentrations by a factor of 5–6, whereas the concentrations in the diameter range of 100–1000 nm, in which the magnitude of the increase was the greatest, were elevated by a factor of 20–25. An extra particle size mode at 203 nm was manifested in the size distributions as result of the fireworks. The PM 10 mass concentrations at peak firework influence and as 1-h mean increased 123 and 58 times, respectively, relative to the concentration before the display. The smoke was characterised by a relatively short overall atmospheric residence time of 25 min. Spatiotemporal dispersion simulations revealed that there were substantial vertical and horizontal concentration gradients in the firework plume. The affected area made up a large part of the city. Not only the spectators of the display at the venue and nearby areas, but the population located further away downwind of the displays and more distant, large and populous urban quarters were affected by the plume and its fallout. The fireworks increased the deposition rate in the respiratory system of females by a factor of 4, as a conservative estimate. The largest surface density deposition rates were seen in the segmental and sub-segmental bronchi, which represents an excessive risk to health. Compared to adults, children were more susceptible to exposure, with the maximum surface density deposition rates in their case being three times those of adults in the trachea. [Display omitted] • Concentrations during fireworks increase drastically with respect to those before them. • Median diameter and residence time of firework particles are 203 nm and 25 min. • Fallout from smoke plume affects many inhabitants and large urban quarters. • Children are more susceptible to the firework smoke exposure than adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parameter estimation of a source of chemical, biological or radiological emissions is a problem of great importance for public safety. The key parameters of interest are the source intensity and its location. This paper applies the concept of Rao–Blackwell dimension reduction to solve the posterior probability distribution function of source intensity, conditioned on source location, analytically. The paper is cast in the context of a source of a hazardous release of particles or gas and its turbulent transport through the medium. Numerical results, obtained by simulations and using an experimental dataset, demonstrate the statistical efficiency of the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Initiatives to displace petroleum and climate change mitigation have driven a recent increase in space heating with biomass combustion. However, there is ample evidence that biomass combustion emits significant quantities of health damaging pollutants. We investigated the near-source micro-environmental air quality impact of a biomass-fueled combined heat and power system equipped with an electrostatic precipitator (ESP) in Syracuse, NY. Two rooftop sampling stations with PM 2.5 and CO 2 analyzers were established in such that one could capture the plume while the other one served as the background for comparison depending on the wind direction. Four sonic anemometers were deployed around the stack to quantify spatially and temporally resolved local wind patterns. Fuel-based emission factors were derived based on near-source measurement. The Comprehensive Turbulent Aerosol Dynamics and Gas Chemistry (CTAG) model was then applied to simulate the spatial variations of primary PM 2.5 without ESP. Our analysis shows that the absence of ESP could lead to an almost 7 times increase in near-source primary PM 2.5 concentrations with a maximum concentration above 100 μg m −3 at the building rooftop. The above-ground “hotspots” would pose potential health risks to building occupants since particles could penetrate indoors via infiltration, natural ventilation, and fresh air intakes on the rooftop of multiple buildings. Our results demonstrated the importance of emission control for biomass combustion systems in urban area, and the need to take above-ground pollutant “hotspots” into account when permitting distributed generation. The effects of ambient wind speed and stack temperature, the suitability of airport meteorological data on micro-environmental air quality were explored, and the implications on mitigating near-source air pollution were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical accidents often involve releases of a total mass, Q, of stored material in a tank over a time duration, t d , of less than a few minutes. The value of t d is usually uncertain because of lack of knowledge of key information, such as the size and location of the hole and the pressure and temperature of the chemical. In addition, it is rare that eyewitnesses or video cameras are present at the time of the accident. For inhalation hazards, serious health effects (such as damage to the respiratory system) are determined by short term averages (<1 min) of concentrations, C. It is intuitively obvious that, for a ground level source and with all conditions the same (e.g., the same mass Q released), the maximum C near the source will be larger for a shorter than a longer release duration, t d . This paper investigates the variation with downwind distance, x, of the ratio of maximum C for two time durations of release. Some simplified formulas for dispersion from finite duration releases are presented based on dimensional analysis. A primary dimensionless number of importance is the ratio of the release duration, t d , to the travel time t t = x/u, at distance, x, where u is wind speed. Examples of applications to pressurized liquefied chlorine releases from tanks are given, focusing on scenarios from the Jack Rabbit I (JR I) field experiment. The analytical calculations and the predictions of the SLAB dense gas dispersion model agree that the ratio of maximum C for two different t d 's is greatest (as much as a factor of ten) near the source. At large distances (beyond a few km for the JR I scenarios), where t t exceeds both t d 's, the ratio of maximum C approaches unity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present wind data collected for ten days during the dry season in 2008 during the Murici II Campaign, which was carried out in the area of the Centro de Lançamento de Alcântara (CLA). The main goals are to better understand processes governing the wind regime in the CLA and the development of tools for analyzing the impact of wind on rocket structure and on the dispersion of pollutants released during the launch. A set of 11 aerovanes (ten at 10-m height and one at 1.5-m height) plus a sonic anemometer at 1.5-m height were deployed to measure wind speed and direction, which were stored as ten-minute data. Turbulence intensity, gust factor, and gust amplitude were computed from the available dataset. Statistical analysis shows that the wind direction is predominant from East-Northeast (ENE), with the mean vector wind direction of 60o, in agreement with the trade wind regime. The diurnal cycle of all statistical properties of the wind are strongly marked. Wind speed, turbulence intensity, and gusts are peaked at about 1000 LST. The presence of a non-diurnal cycle of four days has been noticed and might be associated with synoptic systems acting on the region. A simple heuristic formula was proposed to compute Lagrangian time-scale from Eulerian time-scale, and from which we compute the Lagragian standard deviation, a final product to be used as input in diffusion models.

The overall focus of the research work was to study the various factors that affect plume dilution anddispersion. Some of the factors that were studied include; the effects of mixing height, the effects of plume riseand the effects of terrain in addition to momentum and buoyancy on the overall dispersion of plume releasedfrom a stack of known effective height. Data on temperature versus altitude was collected using an infra - redthermometer at different height of a telecommunication mast under construction. The highest temperature forthe month was noted and the validity of the recorded data was done using correlation analysis. Mathematicalanalysis was then employed to determine the mixing depth which represents the effective height of any stackthat must be placed in such location in other to allow for complete dispersion/dilution of any form of pollutantreleased from any source. Result obtained shows that the effective height of stack that can be erected in suchlocation that will allow for effective dispersion of any pollutants was shown to be 1700m. Any stack below thisheight will lead to ground level pollution. Also discussed in this research paper is the application of GaussianPlume model in the evaluation/analysis of the horizontal dispersion of pollutants released from a height (h).

A method for the large-eddy simulation (LES) of dispersion and mixing of passive scalars is developed and evaluated. The new method addresses the requirements of tracking the evolution of plumes for large distances from their sources while attaining a low computational cost. To reduce computational cost, the velocity and thermodynamic fields are solved on a doubly periodic domain in the horizontal directions. In contrast, when the plume reaches the downstream end of the computational domain, it is reintroduced at the upstream plane but as a different scalar field. The same procedure is repeated when the new scalar field reaches the downstream boundary. By using several scalar fields to describe the evolution of a single plume, the simulation is computationally cheaper since the same velocity and thermodynamic fields are reused, or recycled, when computing the plume evolution. The recycling method is verified by showing that low-order plume statistics are identical to a single-domain LES. Three cases of dispersion and mixing from a point ground source in diverse boundary layer conditions (stable, convectively unstable, and shallow cumulus convection) are considered. Moreover, the LES results are compared with the predictions a Gaussian plume model, which is found to perform satisfactorily in all cases when accurate information about the state of the boundary layer is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]