1. When the ambient lapse rate is super - adiabatic (greater than the adiabatic), the turbulence of the air itself causes the atmosphere to serve as an effective vehicle of dispersion. As indicated in fig-a, the resultant plume is designated as a looping plume.
2. When the ambient lapse rate is equal to or very near the dry adiabatic lapse rate, the plume issuing from a single chimney or smokestack tends to rise directly into the atmosphere until it reaches air of density similar to that of the plume itself. This type emission, called a neutral plume, is seen in fig-b.
3. When the ambient lapse rate is sub-adiabatic (less than the dry adiabatic), the atmosphere is slightly stable. Under such conditions, there is limited vertical mixing, and the probability of air pollution problems in the area is increased. The typical plume in such a situation is said to be coning.
4. When the lapse rate is negative, as in the ' presence of an inversion, the dispersion of stack gas is minimal, because of lack of. turbulence. In the extremely stable air, a plume spreads horizontally, with little vertical mixing, and is said to be fanning (fig-d).
5. When the lapse rate is super-adiabatic above the emission source and inversion conditions, exist below the source, the plume is said to be lofting. As shown in fig-e, a lofting plume' has minimal downward mixing, and the pollutants are dispersed downwind without any significant ground-level concentrations.
6. When an inversion layer occurs at a short distance above the top of the stack and super adiabatic conditions prevail below the stack, then plume is said to be fumigating (fig-d).
7. When inversion layer exists above the emission source, as well as below the source, then naturally, the emitted plume will neither go up, nor will it go down and would remain confined between the two inversion (fig-g). Such a plume is called a trapping.



