Interpretation of measured tracer concentration fluctuations using a sinusoidal meandering plume model

Journal Article · Sat Dec 01 04:00:00 EST 1990 · Journal of Applied Meteorology; (USA)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0450(1990)029<1284:IOMTCF>2.0.CO;2· OSTI ID:5876571

Peterson, H; Lamb, B; Stock, D ^[1]

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1. Washington State Univ., Pullman (USA)

Simultaneous, instantaneous concentration and wind velocity fluctuations were measured 100 to 752 m downwind of a point source release of SF6 tracer during two field studies conducted amid rolling wheat fields and at a flat desert site in eastern Washington. Data from stable, neutral, and unstable conditions are interpreted using a meandering plume model where the meander is defined to be sinusoidal and the instantaneous plume profile is Gaussian. A sensitivity analysis of the model shows that the characteristic concentration time scale is a direct function of the meander time scale and the receptor position relative to the meander centerline. For narrow instantaneous plumes relative to the meander amplitude, the predicted mean crosswind profiles of concentration, intermittency factor, concentration fluctuation intensity, and peak-to-mean ratios exhibit bimodal distributions. The simple meandering plume model provides a straightforward explanation of very complex patterns observed in the tracer concentration fluctuation data in terms of wind meander, receptor location, and instantaneous plume width. 37 refs.

• OSTI ID: 5876571
• Journal Information: Journal of Applied Meteorology; (USA), Journal Name: Journal of Applied Meteorology; (USA) Vol. 29; ISSN 0894-8763; ISSN JOAME
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring &amp; Transport-- (1990-)
AIR POLLUTION
ARID LANDS
DATA PROCESSING
DESERTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FEDERAL REGION X
FIELD TESTS
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
MASS TRANSFER
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NORTH AMERICA
PLUMES
POINT SOURCES
POLLUTION
PROCESSING
QUANTITY RATIO
RADIATION SOURCES
TESTING
TRACE AMOUNTS
TRACER TECHNIQUES
TURBULENCE
USA
WASHINGTON
WIND