A Technique for Measuring Atmospheric Diffusion

Abstract

A technique for measuring atmospheric diffusion with a ?floating grid? system is described. Tracer sampling is accomplished using one or two airplanes flying arcs of circles at selected radial distances from the release point and flying selected levels on each arc. The planes are guided by a ground based radar. The centerline of the ?floating grid? sampling network is aligned in the direction toward which the mean wind is blowing and can change during an experiment. Instrumentation necessary for the dispensing, sampling and analysis of the tracer material is described as well as the associated meteorological instrumentation. A brief description of the analysis of data using the ?floating grid? system is also presented.