Handling The Back Calculation Problem In Aerial Spray Models Using The Genetic Algorithm

The United States Department of Agriculture Forest Service (USDAFS) has been involved in the development of computer models to simulate deposition from aerial pesticide spraying since the early 1970s. Originally, this work was driven by the need to improve the percentage of aerially sprayed material that actually deposited on a target area. The amount of on-target deposition is a primary factor in determining the level of pest control achieved. A second focus of this modeling work that has become the objective in much of the recent work is to use modeling to determine the amount of sprayed material that does not land on the target area and is defined as “drift”. It is assumed that drift causes unintended environmental consequences and is a form of environmental pollution.