A numerical model of aerosol scavenging

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

OSTI ID:5756792

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: DOE; USDOE, Washington, DC (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 5756792
• Report Number(s): UCRL-JC-106110; CONF-9107104--21; ON: DE92007341
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540110
540130* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Radioactive Materials Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
99 GENERAL AND MISCELLANEOUS
990200 -- Mathematics & Computers
ACCIDENTS
AEROSOLS
AIR FLOW
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CLIMATE MODELS
CLIMATIC CHANGE
CLOUDS
COLLOIDS
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
DISPERSIONS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FIRES
FLUID FLOW
GAS FLOW
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NUCLEAR WINTER
PLUMES
RESIDUES
SCAVENGING
SIMULATION
SMOKES
SOLS
TESTING
VALIDATION