Plume search models

Several types of computer models have been developed for estimating the expected concentrations of the chemicals of interest as they move away from the source. Soil transport models attempt to estimate the expected concentration at the surface above buried sources. Plume transport models attempt to estimate the concentrations within a plume, along with its shape and position. A different form of model is designed to guide a search pattern for employing a sensing system to trace a plume. 

The other type model attempts to track the plume using techniques inspired by observation of animal subjects. Some of the models actually emulate the search behaviors observed. A variation on this type model, perhaps more appropriately called an adaptation, is that of Ishida and co-workers [33],... 

Patches of different size and density may differ in findability for insects. For example, dense patches of plants should have longer odor plumes than do sparse patches of equal area. Assuming that an herbivore uses primarily chemical cues when searching for plant patches, Stanton (1982b) predicts from theoretical models of odor-plume geometry that the active space of a dense patch is more likely to be encountered than is the active space of a sparse patch. She points out, however, that an increase in patch density should lead to a less than proportional increase in the active space of the odor plume from the patch. Thus, the probability that a given plant is encountered in the denser patch is less than the probability that a given plant is encountered in the sparse patch. This prediction has yet to be tested experimentally. 

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