Assessment of the plume dispersion due to chemical attack on April 4, 2017, in Syria

Kiran Bhaganagar () and Sudheer R. Bhimireddy
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Kiran Bhaganagar: University of Texas
Sudheer R. Bhimireddy: University of Texas

Natural Hazards: Journal of the International Society for the Prevention and Mitigation of Natural Hazards, 2017, vol. 88, issue 3, No 29, 1893-1901

Abstract: Abstract A numerical investigation has been performed using Weather Research and Forecasting model to determine the role of atmospheric factors that influenced the dispersion of the chemical plume released on the fateful date of April 4, 2017, at 6.30 a.m. in the town of Khan Sheikhoun in northwestern region of Syria. The plume has been approximated as an inert tracer and the effect of meteorological and topographical conditions on the plume dispersion has been studied. The results have shown that the released plume formed a thin layer up to 100 m above the surface known a “fumigation plume”. The plume spreads radially, undiluted to distance of 7.9 and 19.3 km at 1 and 2 h, respectively, after the initial release. Due to change to convective atmospheric stability conditions, the turbulence convective eddies dilutes the plume. The atmospheric stability conditions in the next 2 h were critical in dispersing the plume. The study motivates the importance of estimating short-term transport of the plume in health-, safety- and evacuation-management.

Keywords: Chemical plume; Atmospheric pollution; Plume tracking; WRF model; Syria Chemical attack 2017; Early Warfare Detection (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
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DOI: 10.1007/s11069-017-2936-x

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