The atmosphere is a resource and, as with any critical resource, its use needs to be managed to preserve its quality. This need has lead to the extensive exploration of the important role that meteorology plays in the transport, dispersion, chemical conversion and deposition of pollutants in the atmosphere. Sources emitting a wide range of potential pollutants are being built and retrofitted every year creating a demand to assess their potential impact on nearby (and even far-away) communities.

Sadly, the need to understand and predict the transport and dispersion of pollutants has taken on an even greater importance in recent years with the growing possibility that bio- and nuclear-terrorist events threaten large populations. This chilling possibility demands the creation of rapid-response warning systems based on our understanding of atmospheric motions.