skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Comparison of observed and predicted normalized air concentrations for 56-m releases of fluorescein particles

Conference ·
OSTI ID:5391295

Centerline ground-level normalized air concentration measurements made at Hanford, Washington, for the short-term release of fluorescein particles from a height of 56 m were compared with a Gaussian plume atmospheric dispersion model using two different sets of dispersion parameters and two different methods of classifying atmospheric stability. The ratio of the predicted air concentration to the observed air concentration is strongly dependent on the downwind distance being considered. All four methods have a tendency to underpredict near the source, sometimes by many orders of magnitude, and to overpredict at the farthest distances considered (12.8 km). Such a tendency must be taken into account when assessing the impact (on man) of short-term pollutant releases to the atmosphere. In general, the results of this study highlight the difficulty of choosing a set of dispersion parameters and estimating atmospheric stability for use in assessment activities. These results also show, however, that such specification is important in determining the accuracy of Gaussian plume atmospheric dispersion model predictions.

Research Organization:
Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (USA)
DOE Contract Number:
W-7405-ENG-26
OSTI ID:
5391295
Report Number(s):
CONF-800327-4; TRN: 80-008111
Resource Relation:
Conference: 2. joint conference on applications of air pollution meteorology, New Orleans, LA, USA, 24 Mar 1980
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English