A numerical model of aerosol scavenging. Part 2, Simulation of a large city fire

Conference · Tue Oct 01 00:00:00 EDT 1991

OSTI ID:10118980

Bradley, M M; Molenkamp, C R

Using a three-dimensional numerical cloud/smoke-plume model, we have simulated the burning of a large, mid-latitude city following a nuclear exchange. The model includes 18 dynamic and microphysical equations that predict the fire-driven airflow, cloud processes, and smoke-cloud interactions. In the simulation, the intense heating from the burning city produces a firestorm with updraft velocities exceeding 60 m/s. Within 15 minutes of ignition, the smoke plume penetrates the tropopause. The updraft triggers a cumulonimbus cloud that produces significant quantities of ice, snow, and hail. These solid hydrometeors, as well as cloud droplets and rain, interact with the smoke particles from the fire. At the end of the one-hour simulation, over 20% of the smoke is in slowly falling snowflakes. If the snow reaches the ground before the flakes completely sublimate (or melt and then evaporate), then only approximately 50% of the smoke will survive the scavenging processes and remain in the atmosphere to affect the global climate.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Lab., CA (United States)
• Sponsoring Organization: USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 10118980
• Report Number(s): UCRL-JC-106110; CONF-9107104-21; ON: DE92007341
• Resource Relation: Conference: 5. international conference on precipitation scavenging and atmosphere surface exchange process,Richland, WA (United States),15-19 Jul 1991; Other Information: PBD: Oct 1991
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS//MATHEMATICS, COMPUTING, AND INFORMATION SCIENCE
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
VALIDATION
PLUMES
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
ACCIDENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
AEROSOLS
SCAVENGING
NUCLEAR WINTER
CLIMATIC CHANGE
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
AIR FLOW
SMOKES
CLIMATE MODELS
FIRES
CLOUDS
540130
540110
990200
RADIOACTIVE MATERIALS MONITORING AND TRANSPORT
BASIC STUDIES
MATHEMATICS AND COMPUTERS