Tutorial 4

Meteorology for Air Pollution Control

a. At what height does the equation for an adiabatic
atmosphere indicate that the temperature in the air would be
0K? Assume a surface temperature of 15
o
C=59
o
F.

b. What is the physical significant of this problem?

c. What is the predicted pressure at this attitude?
QUESTION 1
ANSWER 1
m z
T
T T
gM
R
dz
R cp
T T
gM
cp
dz
dT
gM
cp
dz
Cp
gM
dz
dT
500 , 29
0
) 1 2 (
5 . 3
5 . 3
) 1 2 (
2
gas perfect
adiabatic,
= A
=
=
=
=
=
=
|
.
|

\
|
g
dz
dP
=
Calculating height
Calculating pressure
Estimate the mixing height for the following
situation: at elevation above/below the mixing
height, the temperature-elevation behavior is given
by the adiabatic lapse rate for dry air. The surface
temperature is 20
o
C=68
o
F.
QUESTION 2
ANSWER 2
km
C
C T
km
C
km
C
m
K
Cp
gM
dz
dT
o
o
7 . 9 20
10 78 . 9 00978 . 0
kg
Pa.m.s
x
1000g
kg
x
.Pa/mol.K m 8.314 x 3.5
g/mol 29 x m/s 9.81
height mixing the Below
2
3
2
gas perfect
adiabatic,
=

= =
= =
|
.
|

\
|
Solve the mixing height, h
ANSWER 2
km
C
C T
o
o
5 . 6 20
height mixing the Above
=
Solve the mixing height, h
A meteorologist discussing a record-breaking hurricane said,
It had a pressure of 850mb in the centre, so it has winds of
250 miles/h! Explain this statement in terms of Bernoullis
equation.
QUESTION 3
ANSWER 3
hr
mi
s
m
mb
Pa
m
kg
mb P
V 369 165
100
.
20 . 1
) 850 1013 ( 2 2
equation s Bernoulli'
3
= =

=
A
=

This calculation shows the estimated velocity is low.

Tutorial Group Question
Stable vertical movement is discouraged
Unstable
parcel tends to move upward or downward
& continue that movement.
Neutral neither encourage nor discourage
movement
Inversion
condition are extremely stable, cooler air
near surface trapped by warmer air above
it.
Inversion
An inversion occurs when air temperature increases with
altitude. Plumes emitted into air layers that are
experiencing an inversion (inverted layer) do not disperse
very much as they are transported with the wind.
Plumes that are emitted above or below an inverted layer
do not penetrate that layer, rather these plumes are trapped
either above or below that inverted layer.
High concentrations of air pollutants are often associated
with inversions since they inhibit plume dispersion.
Atmospheric Stability
Looping Plume Behaviour
The looping plume occurs in highly unstable conditions and
results from turbulence caused by the rapid overturning of air.
While unstable conditions are generally favorable for pollutant
dispersion, momentarily high ground-level concentrations can
occur if the plume loops downward to the surface.
Fanning Plume
The fanning plume occurs
in stable conditions. The
inversion lapse rate
discourages vertical
motion without prohibiting
horizontal motion, and the
plume may extend
downwind from the source
for a long distance.
Fanning plumes often
occur in the early morning
during a radiation
inversion.
Coning Plume Behaviour
The coning plume is characteristic of neutral conditions or
slightly stable conditions. It is likely to occur on cloudy days or
on sunny days between the break-up of an inversion and the
development of unstable daytime conditions.
Lofting Plume Behaviour
When conditions are
unstable above an
inversion, the release of a
plume above the inversion
results in effective
dispersion without
noticeable effects on
ground level
concentrations around the
source. This condition is
known as lofting.
Fumigation Plume Behaviour
If the plume is released just under an inversion layer, a serious
air pollution situation could develop.
As the ground warms in the morning, air below an inversion
layer becomes unstable. When the instability reaches the level of
the plume that is still trapped below the inversion layer, the
pollutants can be rapidly transported down toward the ground.
This is known as fumigation. Ground-level pollutant
concentrations can be very high when fumigation occurs.
Sufficiently tall stacks can prevent fumigation in most cases.

Type Plume Behaviour Stability Highlight of the
Plume Behaviour
Effect on Pollutant
Dispersion to Environment
Looping plume unstable
As describe earlier in
previous slides
Yes to the resident if the
plume move downward.
Fanning plume stable
No
Coning plume neutral No

Lofting plume unstable No

Fumigation plume unstable Yes to the resident since
the plume will move
downward since the earth
surface temperature is
cooler than the plume.
Stability and Plume Behaviour
QUESTION 4