Vertical dispersion from surface and elevated releases: an investigation of a non-Gaussian plume model

Abstract

Several important differences between model predictions and experimental data were discovered: 1) the model overestimated ground-level concentrations from surface and elevated releases at distances beyond the peak concentration; 2) the model overpredicted vertical mixing near elevated sources, especially in the upward direction; 3) the model-predicted exponent α in the exponental vertical concentration profile for a surface release [C̄(z) ∝ exp(-zα)] was smaller than the experimentally measured exponent. Model closure assumptions and experimental short-comings are discussed in relation to their probable effect on model predictions and experimental measurements. -from Authors