RANDOM-WALK MODELING OF BUOYANT-PLUME DISPERSION IN THE CONVECTIVE BOUNDARY-LAYER

In this paper, the random-walk model developed by the authors in a previous study (Luhar and Britter, 1989, Atmospheric Environment 23, 1911-1924) to describe the dispersion of passive material in a convective boundary layer (CBL) is extended in a simple and approximate manner to deal with the practical problem of buoyant-plume dispersion in this boundary layer. This is done by including an acceleration term in the model equation based on the buoyant-plume behaviour in a neutral boundary layer. Appropriate boundary conditions at the top and bottom of the boundary layer are imposed. Model results are found to be in good agreement with laboratory and field measurements.