Predicting concentrations in plumes subject to dry deposition

Abstract

THE source depletion¹ estimation of dry deposition from the atmosphere is less accurate than the physically more correct surface depletion method^2,3. Several surface depletion models^2–9 have been developed but the source depletion method is still used^1,10. The errors introduced by using the latter might have important consequences for assessing the impact of deposition from anthropogen sources. Only the recent^4–6 studies discussed here quantify the descrepancy between the two deposition methods We suggest that a ratio R, based on a representative measure of the eddy diffusivity, plume height, and the deposition velocity, should be used to discriminate between cases where the source depletion method introduces significant errors and those where the difference between the two methods is negligible.