Four years have elapsed since the preparation of the original Russian version of this book. This is a long time when dealing with such actively expanding fields of oceanography as research into small-scale structures and the investigation of hydro physical processes. Over this period new quick-response devices have been developed and successfully used for measurements taken in various ocean areas. Improvements in high-frequency meters used to measure hydrophysical parameters has enabled workers to obtain more accurate absolute values of the fluctuations measured by such devices. In view of this scientific progress, some of the ideas presented in this book now require additional explanation. Great care should be used in dealing with the absolute fluctuation values of hydro physical fields, since the methods used for the determination of the accuracy of the high-frequency measuring devices have been imperfect in the past. Never theless, it would appear that the results of the investigations summarized in this book have not lost their importance, and that the established laws governing small-scale pro cesses in the ocean are of a sufficiently universal nature and, as such, have not been shattered with the qualitative and quantitative advances in devices used for measurements taken in oceans. The authors feel that their work is of interest to English-speaking readers. The appearance of the English translation of the book is, to a very large extent, due to the tremendous amount of editing work brilliantly done by Prof. H. Tennekes."

The present book contains the papers that have been presented at the IUTAM-Symposium on Atmospheric Dispersion of Heavy Gases and Small Particles, which was held from August 29th to September 2nd 1983 in Scheveningen in The Netherlands. Attendees from many countries were present; 4 review lectures and about 25 research papers were presented. The realization of the symposium was made possible by the support of Delft University of Technology Koninklijke/Shell-Laboratory Amsterdam Prins Maurits Laboratory/Institute for Chemical and Technological Research Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute. The symposium organization was carried out by the local organi- zing committee consisting of F.G.J. Absil - Delft University of Technology G.W. Colenbrander - Koninklijke/Shell-Laboratory Amsterdam G. Ooms - Delft University of Technology G. Opschoor - Prins Maurits Laboratory/Institute for Chemical and Technological Research H. Tennekes - Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute A.P. van Ulden - Royal Netherlands Meteorological Institute. The work of the organizing committee was supported in many re- spects by the sientific committee, which consisted of H. Fiedler - Technische Hochschule Karlsruhe, Fed. Rep. of Germany F.N. Frenkiel - Naval Ship Research and Development Center, Bethesda, Maryland, U.S.A. J.C.R. Hunt - University of Cambridge, England J. Kondo - National Institute for Environmetal Studies, Japan J.L. Lumley - Cornell University, Ithaca, New York, U.S.A.

Four years have elapsed since the preparation of the original Russian version of this book. This is a long time when dealing with such actively expanding fields of oceanography as research into small-scale structures and the investigation of hydro physical processes. Over this period new quick-response devices have been developed and successfully used for measurements taken in various ocean areas. Improvements in high-frequency meters used to measure hydrophysical parameters has enabled workers to obtain more accurate absolute values of the fluctuations measured by such devices. In view of this scientific progress, some of the ideas presented in this book now require additional explanation. Great care should be used in dealing with the absolute fluctuation values of hydro physical fields, since the methods used for the determination of the accuracy of the high-frequency measuring devices have been imperfect in the past. Never theless, it would appear that the results of the investigations summarized in this book have not lost their importance, and that the established laws governing small-scale pro cesses in the ocean are of a sufficiently universal nature and, as such, have not been shattered with the qualitative and quantitative advances in devices used for measurements taken in oceans. The authors feel that their work is of interest to English-speaking readers. The appearance of the English translation of the book is, to a very large extent, due to the tremendous amount of editing work brilliantly done by Prof. H. Tennekes."