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Parameterization of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer for Air Pollution Dispersion Models

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Air Pollution Modeling and Its Application V

Part of the book series: NATO · Challenges of Modern Society ((NATS,volume 10))

Abstract

Most of the gaseous pollutants that are emitted into the air are released into the Atmospheric Boundary Layer (ABL). The main characteristic of the ABL is turbulence. Turbulent flows have a wide range of length scales. The scales are bounded from above by the geometry of the flow field and from below by molecular effects. The structure of turbulence is determined by the various sources as well as by the imposed length and time scales. The turbulence in the ABL, therefore, is multifacet. The outstanding characteristic of turbulence is its immense ability to disperse and transport momentum, heat and also contaminants. Therefore the laws, that characterize the turbulence also characterize the atmospheric dispersion (Tennekes and Lumley, 1972; Pasquill and Smith, 1983).

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute, De Bilt, The Netherlands

    A. A. M. Holtslag

  2. Risø National Laboratory, Roskilde, Denmark

    S. E. Gryning

  3. Meteorology and Assessment Division, Atmospheric Sciences Research Laboratory, E.P.A., Research Triangle Park, USA

    J. S. Irwin

  4. Norwegian Institute for Air Research, Lillestrøm, Norway

    B. Sivertsen

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  1. A. A. M. Holtslag
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  2. S. E. Gryning
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  3. J. S. Irwin
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  4. B. Sivertsen
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Editors and Affiliations

  1. Prime Minister’s Office for Science Policy, Brussels, Belgium

    C. De Wispelaere

  2. Environmental Protection Agency, Research Triangle Park, North Carolina, USA

    Francis A. Schiermeier

  3. Washington University, St. Louis, Missouri, USA

    Noor V. Gillani

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Holtslag, A.A.M., Gryning, S.E., Irwin, J.S., Sivertsen, B. (1986). Parameterization of the Atmospheric Boundary Layer for Air Pollution Dispersion Models. In: De Wispelaere, C., Schiermeier, F.A., Gillani, N.V. (eds) Air Pollution Modeling and Its Application V. NATO · Challenges of Modern Society, vol 10. Springer, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9125-9_11

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4757-9125-9_11

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