Meteorological Evidence for Greater Dispersion of Elevated Plumes

Abstract

Plume dispersion modeling has usually been done on the assumption that atmospheric dispersion is virtually independent of plume height. Recent analyses of acoustic radar data collected in central Alberta, Canada indicate that this assumption may be misleading. Ratios Of standard deviation of vertical to horizontal wind speeds appear to decrease much more rapidly with height than originally supposed. This greater decrease is significant because it means that elevated plumes may be more dilute upon reaching the ground.