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Let ${\rho }_r$ be a constant reference density close to the ambient density, and let ${\rho }_p$ denote the mean plume density. The Boussinesq approximation permits full-cross-section kinematic fluxesThus $Q$ is the specific mass flux, equal to volume flux at this order; $M$ is the specific vertical momentum flux; and $F$ is the buoyancy flux. Physical mass and momentum fluxes are ${\rho }_{r}Q$ and ${\rho }_{r}M$. These definitions include the full circular area. If factors of $\pi$ are removed in a course's flux convention, divide $Q,M,F$ by $\pi$ throughout rather than mixing normalizations. The PDF's source density is ${\rho }_0$, distinct from ambient ${\rho }_a(z)$; the TeX changes the source symbol incorrectly.

For the top-hat plume model, let the plume radius be $r(z)$ and let $w,b$ be uniform inside it. ThenThe Batchelor entrainment hypothesis supplies the necessary closure: the inward edge velocity is $v_e={\alpha }_{e}w$, with constant entrainment coefficient ${\alpha }_e>0$. Entrainment across a cylindrical slice gives $Q^{\prime }=2\pi r{\alpha }_{e}w=2{\alpha }_e\sqrt{\pi }\sqrt{M}$. The entrained ambient has negligible upward momentum. The vertical buoyancy force on the slice is $\pi r^{2}b=F/w$, hence $M^{\prime }=FQ/M$.

For the buoyancy balance, let $R={\int }_A{\rho }_{p}wdA$ be the transported density scalar. Entrainment gives $R^{\prime }={\rho }_a{Q}^{\prime }$. Differentiate $F=g({\rho }_{a}Q-R)/{\rho }_r$ to get $F^{\prime }=g{\rho }_a^{\prime }Q/{\rho }_r$. Therefore the closed flux equations areHere $N$ is the buoyancy frequency when the ambient is stably stratified. These are the Boussinesq top-hat plume in a stratified ambient equations in the explicitly stated full-area convention. Stable stratification consumes positive buoyancy flux as the plume rises. The top-hat assumption alone would not determine $Q^{\prime }$ without an entrainment law.

For uniform ambient density, $F=F_0$ is constant. The source volume $Q_0$ becomes negligible when accumulated entrainment ${\int }_0^{z}c\sqrt{M(s)}ds$ is much greater than $Q_0$. In a jet-like region, $M\simeq M_0$, so the criterion is $z\gg Q_0/(c\sqrt{M_0})$. In a buoyancy-dominated far field with $Q\simeq C_Q{z}^{5/3}$, it is $z\gg (Q_0/C_Q{)}^{3/5}$, with $C_Q$ determined below. These are the two source-volume lengths of a turbulent plume. They are not the jet length, which measures the persistence of imposed source momentum. A nonzero source volume can also appear as a plume virtual origin; it is not valid to discard it at every distance simply because the source is geometrically small.

For $Q_0=M_0=0$, $F_0>0$, seek $Q=C_Q{z}^{5/3}$, $M=C_M{z}^{4/3}$. The two flux equations give $C_Q=(3c/5)\sqrt{C_M}$ and $C_M^{3/2}=9c{F}_0/20$. Thus the pure-plume solution isFor completeness its directly measurable top-hat fields areThis is an axisymmetric pure plume. In this regime the explicit source-volume criterion isFor $Q_0=F_0=0$, $M_0>0$, the buoyancy vanishes and momentum is constant. The pure-jet solution isThis is the jet limit of the top-hat plume model. Both ideal zero-volume sources have singular speeds at $z=0$; they model regions outside a finite source where entrainment has already made the source-volume correction small.

When $M_0$ and $F_0$ are both positive, use the jet solution near the source and the pure-plume solution far above it, with an appropriate virtual-origin correction. To quantify this transition, eliminate $z$:The conserved quantity is the plume flux-balance invariant. With negligible $Q_0$, comparison of its two terms and $Q\simeq c\sqrt{M_0}z$ gives a transition height of order $M_0^{3/4}/(\sqrt{c}\sqrt{F_0})$. The exact connection, including finite $Q_0$, is the finite-source forced-plume quadraturewith $M$ then recovered from the invariant. A positive integrand gives the physical increasing-volume branch. As $Q$ grows, the source constant is negligible relative to $Q^2$, proving attraction to pure plume similarity. One matches the two asymptotic regimes or uses this quadrature; the jet and plume solutions cannot be linearly superposed because their governing flux equations are nonlinear.