Past exam of the mathematics course of the University of Cambridge / 2002 / iii / Paper 52 / 5 / c / Solution

Let ${\mathcal{B}}_0>0$ be the source buoyancy flux per unit length. The conversion from the heat-source strength depends on its units: if $F$ is a kinematic temperature-volume flux, ${\mathcal{B}}_0=g\beta F$; if it is a physical heat power per unit length, ${\mathcal{B}}_0=g\beta F/({\rho }_0{c}_p)$, where $c_p$ is specific heat capacity at constant pressure. This explicit convention avoids treating heat power as a buoyancy flux without conversion.

For uniform ambient $N^2=0$, so $\mathcal{B}={\mathcal{B}}_0$. The ideal pure line-source limit has negligible initial volume and momentum transport. The flux equations admit $w=w_{\ast }$ constant, $q=2\alpha w_{\ast }z$ and $b=\alpha z$. Substituting into the momentum equation gives $2\alpha w_{\ast }^2=2bG$, and the conserved buoyancy flux then fixes $2\alpha w_{\ast }^3={\mathcal{B}}_0$. ThusThis verifies all three differential equations, not just their dimensional exponents. The plume grows in width while maintaining constant upward velocity; its temperature anomaly decreases like $z^{-1}$. The zero-height singularity is the ideal point-source limit. A finite source or nonzero momentum input introduces a plume virtual origin or a forced near-source region; the heat strength alone cannot uniquely determine that finite-source region.