Solution

ID: past-exam-of-the-mathematics-course-of-the-university-of-cambridge/2008/iii/paper-84/6/a/solution

Use pi-normalized kinematic plume fluxes: physical volume, momentum and buoyancy fluxes are , and . For a top-hat plume model in a homogeneous ambient, constant entrainment coefficient gives
Eliminating height between the first two equations yields . Hence the plume flux-balance invariant is . Pure plume balance means that this invariant vanishes, including at a finite-volume source:
It does not mean that and must individually be zero. The balanced solution has a plume virtual origin below the physical source:
where . For given nonzero source fluxes, the displayed balance is a compatibility condition; they cannot be chosen independently and still describe an exactly balanced source.

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