Smoke-plume distributions above large-scale fires: Implications for simulations of ''nuclear winter''

Journal Article · Wed Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1986 · J. Appl. Meteorol.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1175/1520-0450(1986)025<1434:SPDALS>2.0.CO;2· OSTI ID:7021731

Penner, J E; Jr, Haselman L; Edwards, L L

Smoke from raging fires produced in the aftermath of a major nuclear exchange has been predicted to cause large decreases in surface temperatures. However, the extent of the decrease and even the sign of the temperature change depend on how the smoke is distributed with altitude. We present a model capable of evaluating the initial distribution of lofted smoke above a massive fire. Calculations are shown for a two-dimensional slab version of the model and a full three-dimensional version. The model has been evaluated by simulating smoke heights for the Hamburg firestorm of 1943, and a smaller-scale oil fire which occurred in Long Beach in 1958. Our plume heights for these fires are compared to those predicted by the classical Morton-Taylor-Turner theory for weakly buoyant plumes. We consider the effect of the added buoyancy caused by condensation of waterladen ground level air being carried to high altitude with the convection column, as well as the effects of background wind on the calculated smoke plume heights for several fire intensities. We find that the rise height of the plume depends on the assumed background atmospheric conditions, as well as the fire intensity.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, University of California, Livermore, CA 94550
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• OSTI ID: 7021731
• Journal Information: J. Appl. Meteorol.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Appl. Meteorol.; (United States) Vol. 25:10; ISSN JAMOA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

640202* -- Atmospheric Physics-- Effects of Nuclear Detonations
71 CLASSICAL AND QUANTUM MECHANICS
GENERAL PHYSICS
AEROSOLS
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
ENVIRONMENTAL EFFECTS
FIRES
FLUIDS
GASES
NUCLEAR WINTER
PLUMES
RESIDUES
SIMULATION
SMOKES
SOLS
THREE-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
TWO-DIMENSIONAL CALCULATIONS
VAPORS
WATER VAPOR
WIND