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THE ROLE OF STABILITY IN FINE PESTICIDE DROPLET DISPERSION IN THE ATMOSPHERE: A REVIEW OF PHYSICAL CONCEPTS

Published by the American Society of Agricultural and Biological Engineers, St. Joseph, Michigan www.asabe.org

Citation:  Transactions of the ASAE. 43(6): 1409-1413. (doi: 10.13031/2013.3038) @2000
Authors:   H. W. Thistle
Keywords:   Spray dispersion, Atmospheric stability, Turbulence, Droplet

The investigation of the role of atmospheric stability in the atmospheric dispersion of pesticide sprays and powders has largely been approached from an empirical standpoint. This article discusses the physical basis underlying the observed results relying on work done by boundary layer meteorologists and air pollution engineers. An examination of the turbulence equation, atmospheric turbulence spectra, and simple applied modeling techniques based on accumulated data all lead to the conclusion that atmospheric stability will influence droplet dispersion through reduced mixing as the atmosphere becomes more stable. The magnitude and interaction of stability with spray application parameters requires further study.

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