What is the term used for the height above ground level where the concentration of a pollutant is at a maximum?

The term that accurately describes the height above ground level where the concentration of a pollutant is at a maximum is plume rise. Plume rise refers to the vertical movement of a pollutant plume as it is emitted from a source, such as a stack or vent. When a pollutant is released into the atmosphere, it tends to rise due to thermal buoyancy and momentum. As it ascends, the concentration of the pollutant increases until it reaches a certain height, where the effects of dispersion and atmospheric mixing start to decrease its concentration.

At this maximum concentration height, the pollutants are typically concentrated in a plume before they begin to dilute as they spread out. Understanding this concept is crucial in atmospheric dispersion modeling, as it helps predict how pollutants will behave in the atmosphere and their potential impact on air quality at different altitudes.

Mixing height, stack height, and emission height refer to different concepts related to atmospheric dispersal and emission sources, but they do not specifically point to the maximum concentration height of a pollutant. Mixing height refers to the vertical distance through which pollutants can mix in the atmosphere. Stack height refers to the physical height of the emission source, while emission height typically refers to the height at which a pollutant is released,