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Author
Heikes, K. E. | Gaj, R. A. | Small, R. D.
Title
Target Area Studies. Volume 3. Plumes From Target-Area Fires. Technical Report. May 19, 1985-December 23, 1988.
Coporate
Pacific-Sierra Research Corp., Los Angeles, CA
Sponsor
Defense Nuclear Agency, Washington, DC
Report
DNA-TR-89-20-V3; PSR Report 1842, January 1, 1992, 58 p.
Distribution
Available from National Technical Information Service
Contract
DNA-001-88-C-0119
Keywords
nuclear winter | injection | smoke | plumes | urban fires | latent heat | fuel load
Identifiers
fire heating; target area; target fuel
Abstract
This report presents smoke and moisture plume simulations based on calculations of the fuel loading for Nashville, Tennessee. The calculation matrix consists of two vertical temperature and moisture profiles (one winter and one summer), two types of combustion, and three potential targets, twelve cases in all. A brief description of the city fuel inventory calculation is given. The plume and moisture cloud model is reviewed. We examine the sensitivity of plume rise to target area fuel loading and atmospheric stability. Our calculations show that even for relatively moist, unstable conditions, plume rise is primarily governed by fire intensity. The smoke injection height is predominantly a function of fuel density and combustion mode. Therefore it depends critically on the specific urban fuel distribution.