Calculation of the primary trajectories of seeds and other particles in strong winds

Abstract

The movement of variously dense spherical particles representing a variety of seeds, fruits, spores and pollen, and released from rest into arbitrary winds and a gravitational field is discussed in general terms that account in detail for changes in the quasi-static aerodynamic resistance to motion experienced by such particles during aerial flight. A hybrid analytical-empirical law is established which describes this resistance fairly accurately for particle Reynolds numbers in the range 0—60 000 and that allows for the numerical integration of the equations of motion so as to cover a very wide range of flight conditions. This makes possible the provision of a set of four-parameter universal range tables from which the dispersal distances for an enormous number of practical cases may be estimated. One particular case of particle movement in a region of pseudo-thermal convection is also discussed and this shows how a marked degree of deposition concentration may be induced in some circumstances by such a flow. Botanists and ecologists concerned with seed and particle dispersal in the environment may find the universal range tables of particular interest and use. This is because the tables obviate the need for the integration of the equations of motion when dealing with individual cases and permit an estimation of range purely on the basis of the specified quantities of particle size, density and altitude of release, atmospheric wind speed, density and viscosity, and the acceleration due to gravity.