SYMPOSIA PAPER Published: 01 January 1978
STP36591S

Urban Modeling of Inert Substances

Source

The physical assumptions in various models for the diffusion of inert substances in urban areas are critically reviewed. It is suggested that there are no significant differences among the predictions of the models, and that often simple integral models have more valid physical assumptions than do complex computer models. Correlations between observed and predicted concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO), sulfur dioxide, and suspended particles are typically in the range of 0.4 to 0.8. The magnitude of the prediction can be expected to be within a factor of two of the observation.

Mixing depth and pollutant concentration are not well correlated (R ≃ -0.2) because local pollutant plumes do not as a rule reach the capping inversion. Inverse wind speed and pollutant concentration are better correlated (R ≃ 0.6). A method for accounting for stability in the simple Atmospheric Turbulence and Diffusion Laboratory model is suggested, based on observations of CO emissions and concentrations and of wind speeds at numerous stations.

Author Information

Hanna, SR
Air Resources Atmospheric Turbulence and Diffusion Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Oak Ridge, Tenn.
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Details
Developed by Committee: D22
Pages: 262–275
DOI: 10.1520/STP36591S
ISBN-EB: 978-0-8031-4723-2
ISBN-13: 978-0-8031-0275-0