Factors Influencing the Transport of Biological Aerosol Through the Atmosphere: And Their Injection into It
Abstract
The capacity to predict accurately the transport and deposition of biological aerosol introduced into the atmosphere is clearly an urgent military requirement. Existing transport models do not adequately take account of some processes which can exercise a profound influence on aerosol transport. These include: dry deposition; wet deposition; cloud processing of aerosol; the effects of topography on aerosol deposition; and the (often profound) influence of naturally occurring electrostatic forces on the agglomeration and scavenging of aerosol particles. Our objectives are to formulate reliable, quantitative descriptions of these processes which act to modify aerosol transport so that these processes can then be adequately incorporated into models of the transport of biological aerosol through the atmosphere on all relevant scales. The bursting of bubbles at the surface of the oceans, lakes and other stretches of water can cause the injection of massive quantities of biological aerosol into the atmosphere. The Earth's electric field can facilitate their redistribution and longevity in the atmosphere. Our paper describes work conducted to date on these topics, together with future plans.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Jan 01, 2002
- Accession Number
- ADA436080
Entities
People
- Ch. Wick
- John Latham
Organizations
- Edgewood Chemical Biological Center