Skip to main content
Log in

On the motion of a small particle in the atmosphere

  • Published:
Boundary-Layer Meteorology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Equations of motion, valid for a water droplet or a dust particle less than about 50Μm in radius moving through the air, are derived. Thus, the behaviour of a particle in some simple nonuniform fluid flows is discussed. In particular, it is found that a particle may follow an approximately closed trajectory in an axisymmetric flow about a horizontal axis. Thus, it is argued that turbulence should cause particles to fall at a much slower rate than their terminal velocity, even in the absence of a mean updraft.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  • Basset, A. B.: 1888,Hydrodynamics, Vol. II, Deighton, Bell and Co.

    Google Scholar 

  • Basset, A. B.: 1910, ‘On the Descent of a Sphere in a Viscous Liquid’,Quart. J. Pure Appl. Math. 41, 369–381.

    Google Scholar 

  • Batchelor, G. K.: 1967,Fuid Dynamics, Cambridge University Press.

  • Corrsin, S. and Lumley, J.: 1956, ‘On the Equation of Motion for a Particle in Turbulent Fluid’,Appl. Sci. Res. 6A, 114–116.

    Google Scholar 

  • Hinze, J. O.: 1959,Turbulence, McGraw-Hill.

  • Kreyszig, E.: 1962,Advanced Engineering Mathematics, Wiley and Sons.

  • Rubinow, S. I. and Keller, J. B.: 1961, ‘The Transverse Force on a Spinning Sphere Moving in a Viscous Fluid’,J. Fluid Mech. 11, 447–459.

    Google Scholar 

  • Saffman, P. G.: 1965, ‘The Lift on a Small Sphere in a Slow Shear Flow’,J. Fluid Mech. 22, 385–440.

    Google Scholar 

  • Tchen, C. M.: 1947, ‘Mean Value and Correlation Problems Connected with the Motion of Small Particles Suspended in a Turbulent Fluid’, Ph. D. Thesis, Delft.

  • Warner, J.: 1969, ‘The Microstructure of Cumulus Cloud. Part II: The Effect On Droplet Size Distribution of Cloud Nucleus Spectrum and Updraft Velocity’,J. Atmos. Sci. 26, 1272–1282.

    Google Scholar 

  • Warner, J.: 1970, ‘The Microstructure of Cumulus Cloud. Part III: The Nature of the Updraft’,J. Atmos. Sci. 27, 682–688.

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Manton, M.J. On the motion of a small particle in the atmosphere. Boundary-Layer Meteorol 6, 487–504 (1974). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02137681

Download citation

  • Received:

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02137681

Keywords

Navigation