Lapse rate

Lapse rate is the rate at which

Earth's atmospheric temperature decreases with an increase in
altitude, or increases with the decrease in altitude.
Lapse rate arises from the word lapse, in the sense of a gradual
change.
 The decrease of an atmospheric variable with height, the variable being
temperature unless otherwise specified.
In general, a lapse rate is the negative of the rate of temperature change with
altitude change, thus
Convection and adiabatic expansion of air

The temperature profile of the atmosphere is a result of an interaction

between radiation and convection.
Sunlight hits the ground and heats it. The ground then heats the air at
the surface.
If radiation were the only way to transfer heat from the ground to
space, the greenhouse effect of gases in the atmosphere would keep
the ground at roughly 333 K (60 C; 140 F), and the temperature
would decay exponentially with height.
 However, when air is hot, it tends to expand, which lowers its density. Thus, hot
air tends to rise and transfer heat upward.
This is the process of convection, Convection comes to equilibrium when a
parcel of air at a given altitude has the same density as the other air at the same
elevation.
When a parcel of air expands, it pushes on the air around it, doing work
(thermodynamics).
Since the parcel does work but gains no heat, it loses internal energy so that its
temperature decreases.
The process of expanding and contracting without exchanging heat is
an adiabatic process.
The term adiabatic means that no heat transfer occurs into or out of the parcel.
Air has low thermal conductivity, and the bodies of air involved are very large,
so transfer of heat by conduction is negligibly small
 The adiabatic process for air has a characteristic temperature-pressure
curve, so the process determines the lapse rate.
When the air contains little water, this lapse rate is known as the dry
adiabatic lapse rate the rate of temperature decrease
is 9.8 C/km (5.38 F per 1,000 ft
Atmospheric Dispersion, Transport
and
Deposition
 Dispersion
Atmospheric process affect dilution. Wind speed and lapse rate impact
on emissions.
Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL)
Up to 2000 meters from surface
Relatively stable layer in troposphere above
PBL, Mixing in PBL is variable in short term.
 Wind Speed, Varies with height. Profile is affected by topography.
 Atmospheric Stability
The relationship between environmental and dry lapse rates determines
stability of air. Here, we see mixing height.
 Wind Speed
The wind profile affects dilution,
Wind Direction

Affected by meteorology, and topography.

Depending on conditions, small changes can have big impact
on pollution concentration.
Quite variable
Long range transport.
 Atmospheric Stability

Environmental Lapse rate refers to the actual temperature profile, as

impacted by meteorological variables.
This is what can lead to temperature inversions, and stable or
unstable air.
 Atmospheric stability
As parcels of air rise, they are cool less than the environment and
buoyancy is enhanced.
Unstable air. Sunny days with low wind speeds.
Gaussian Concentration plume equation
 The plume has the Gaussian concentration distribution in both z
vertical and y horizontal direction as shown in figure