R E Mickle | PubMed Health

PubMed2003

Optimizing an aerial spray for mosquito control.

The role of proper flight line positioning was demonstrated to be critical for maximizing product efficacy when spraying in crosswinds by small-droplet spray strategies. Characterization studies indicated clearly that aircraft height, small drop emission distribution, and the ambient winds combine to dilute the spray cloud before impacting surface targets. A 5-fold increase in mortality was achieved when we used optimization techniques to position the aircraft during a crosswind treatment test.

Aerosols↗

PubMed1996

Influence of aircraft vortices on spray cloud behavior.

For small droplet spraying, the spray cloud is initially entrained into the wingtip vortices so that the ultimate fate of the spray is controlled by the motion of these vortices. In close to 100 aerial sprays, the emitted spray cloud has been mapped using a scanning laser system that displays diffusion and transport of the spray cloud. Results detailing the concentrations within the spray cloud in space and time are given for sprays in parallel and crosswinds. Wind direction is seen to potentially alter the vortex motion and hence the fate of the spray cloud. In crosswind spraying, the vortex behavior associated with the 2 wings is found to differ, which leads to enhanced deposition from the upwind wing and enhanced drift from the downwind wing.

Insect Control↗