1 Department of Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, H3G 1M8, Canada.
2 Department of Building, Civil and Environmental Engineering, Concordia University, Montreal, QC, H3G 1M8, Canada. Electronic address: chunjiang.an@concordia.ca.
3 Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Ecosystem Science, Ottawa, ON, K1A 0E6, Canada.
4 Owens Coastal Consultants, Bainbridge Island, WA, 98110, United States.
5 Center for Natural Resources Development and Protection, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Newark, NJ, 07102, United States.

In-situ burning can be used to prevent oil spreading in oil spill response. In this study, a steady-state Gaussian plume model was applied to analyze the concentration distribution of fine particulate matter produced by in-situ burning, as well as to assess the health risks associated with different combustion methods and ambient conditions, in reference to three simulation scenarios. The spatial and temporal distribution of emission sources can affect the dispersion pattern. The distribution into an array of different burning locations ensures better dispersion of emissions, thereby preventing the formation of high concentration regions. The wind and atmosphere stability play an important role in pollution dispersion. Lower wind and temperature inversion can seriously hinder the diffusion of pollutants. The health risk to technical staff adjacent to the burning areas is a serious concern, and when the community is more than 20 km away from the burning zone, there is few risks. Through simulation, the influences of combustion methods and natural factors on the concentration and diffusion of pollutants are evaluated. The results can help provide an optimized burning strategy for oil spill response in the Arctic area.