What is the phenomenon called in which smoke hangs low to the ground on a cool damp day with very little wind?

The phenomenon in which smoke hangs low to the ground on a cool, damp day with very little wind is referred to as smoke inversion. Inversions occur when a layer of warm air traps cooler air, along with any smoke or pollutants, close to the surface. This can happen on cool, calm days when the temperature outside is lower than that of the air above it, preventing the natural rise of smoke. As a result, the smoke can accumulate near the ground, leading to reduced visibility and air quality concerns. This behavior is particularly notable during periods of stable weather conditions where the air movement is minimal, allowing the inversion layer to persist.

While thermal layering and the inverse stack effect describe other atmospheric conditions related to temperature and air movement, they do not specifically pinpoint the effect of smoke remaining close to the ground due to a temperature inversion. The term "cold smoke effect" is less commonly used in this context and does not capture the specific meteorological phenomena involved.