A dispersion model is a means of calculating air pollution concentrations given information about the pollutant emissions and the nature of the atmosphere. In the action of operating a factory, driving a car, or heating a house, a variety of pollutants are released into the atmosphere. The amount of pollutant which is released can be determined from a knowledge of the process or actual measurements. Air quality objectives are set in terms of concentration values, not emission rates. In order to assess whether an emission is likely to result in an exceedence of a prescribed objective it is therefore necessary to know the ground level concentrations which may arise at distances from the source. This is the purpose of a dispersion model. |
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