Which type of dispersion scenario can the ALOHA program simulate?

The ALOHA program is specifically designed to model atmospheric dispersion of hazardous materials released into the air. In this context, it effectively simulates both plume and puff scenarios. A plume refers to a continuous release of contaminants, producing a narrow, elongated area of concentration, while a puff scenario is characterized by a discrete release that creates a more intermittent distribution of contaminants that may disperse unpredictably due to varying atmospheric conditions.

These dispersion models are crucial for responding to and planning for potential chemical or gas releases, helping to predict where contaminants may travel given specific wind and atmospheric conditions. The program incorporates parameters such as wind speed, stability class, and atmospheric mixing heights, which are essential in determining how the released material will behave over time and distance.

In contrast, the other scenarios listed—groundwater contamination, acoustic dispersion, and thermal radiation impact—are outside the range of what ALOHA can simulate. Groundwater contamination pertains to the movement of pollutants in soil and water, acoustic dispersion involves sound wave propagation, and thermal radiation impact relates to heat transfer in environments affected by a release. These topics require different modeling approaches and tools not provided by the ALOHA program.