Line source

The most prominent linear sources are roadway air pollution, aircraft air emissions, roadway noise, certain types of water pollution sources that emanate over a range of river extent rather than from a discrete point, elongated light tubes, certain dose models in medical physics and electromagnetic antennas.

Current technology allows highway designers and city planners to analyze alternative roadway development plans and assess air quality impacts.

Both of these groups developed complex mathematical models to allow the study of alternate roadway designs, traffic operations and noise mitigation strategies in an arbitrary setting.

Diffraction is usually addressed by establishing secondary emitters at any points of topographic or anthropomorphic “sharpness” (such as noise barriers or building surfaces.

The underlying land management practices which lead to such sources of water pollution are logging, pesticide application, construction grading, slash-and-burn activity and urban stormwater runoff.

Again computer models are needed to address the complexity of such an extended linear discharge into a dynamic medium such as flowing water.

The resulting surface runoff water carrying pollutants may be considered a line source discharging into a river or stream.

Thus the scientists involved in light transmission calculations employ computer models that recognize linear sources when fluorescent fixtures are used.