COMMENT ON PREDICTIVE EQUATION PUBLISHED BY SPANTON (1983)

A method for estimating long-period pollution means, based on the Gaus sian model of pollutant dispersion, has been widely applied by Warren Spring Laboratory to urban emissions of smoke and sulphur dioxide. How ever, the report which is cited as the source of full model details (S panton, 1983) contains an incorrect formulation of one of the equation s, use of which results in a marked discontinuity in the profile of co ncentration against distance. This error is of most relevance when the model is applied to point source emissions under atmospheric conditio ns of high stability or high instability, although in the context of l ong-period mean urban pollution the error is of minor importance.