Chemical Engineering Distinguished Lecture Series

The Ralph E. Martin department of chemical engineering Distinguished Lecture Series presents Pablo Huq of the University of Delaware, who will present “Dispersion of Pollution in and Above Cities,” Tuesday, Nov. 1, at 11 a.m. in BELL 2269. 

The seminar will highlight analysis of field experiments on atmospheric dispersion in Oklahoma City, Salt Lake City, St. Louis, and London. Lab experiments on model urban canopies with small and large building aspect ratios were conducted to examine the physics of dispersion in such cities. Measured concentration profiles, lateral and vertical, indicate that dispersion above the urban canopy is governed by turbulent length scales characteristic of atmospheric boundary layer turbulence. In contrast, dispersion within the urban canopy is governed by urban canopy length scales. A model to describe both sets of results has been developed and is based on a simple Gaussian formulation where the diffusion coefficients are determined by the theories of Taylor (1921) in the horizontal plane, and Hunt and Weber (1979) to account for the vertically inhomogeneous turbulence.

Huq is an associate professor in the department of physical ocean science and engineering and holds a doctorate in fluid dynamics from the University of Cambridge. His research interests include turbulence, mixing and environmental fluid mechanics. 

For more information, visit the department’s website or contact Jamie Hestekin. 

The event is open to the public.