Atmospheric Stability Evaluation at Different Time Intervals for Determination of Aerial Spray Application Timing

Abstract

Purpose: Evaluation of atmospheric conditions for proper timing of spray application is important to prevent off-target movement of crop protection materials. Susceptible crops can be damaged downwind if proper application procedure is not followed. In our previous study, hourly data indicated unfavorable conditions, primarily between evening 18:00 hrs in the evening and 6:00 hrs next morning, during clear conditions in the hot summer months in the Mississippi delta. With the requirement of timely farm operations, sub-hourly data are required to provide better guidelines for pilots, as conditions of atmospheric stability can change rapidly. Although hourly data can be interpolated to some degree, finer resolution for data acquisition of the order of 15 min would provide pilots with more accurate recommendations to match the data recording frequency of local weather stations. Methods: In the present study, temperature and wind speed data obtained at a meteorological tower were re-sampled to calculate the atmospheric stability ratio for sub-hour and hourly recommendations. High-precision evaluation of temperature inversion periods influencing atmospheric stability was made considering strength, time of occurrence, and duration of temperature inversion. Results and Discussion: The results indicated that atmospheric stability could be determined at different time intervals providing consistent recommendations to aerial applicators, thereby avoiding temperature inversion with minimal off-target drift of the sprayed liquid.