Evolution of the optical properties of biomass-burning aerosol during the 2003 southeast Australian bushfires

Radhi, M.; Box, Michael A.; Box, G. P.; Gupta, Pawan; Christopher, Sundar A.

doi:10.1364/ao.48.001764

Cited by 6 publications

(3 citation statements)

References 18 publications

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“…The aerosol extinction coefficient decreased to 60 Mm -1 on 8 October and the polluted layer rose to a height of 0.8 km. The averaged AOD on 8 October was 0.03, and the values in the remaining days rarely exceeded a background level of 0.1, which was consistent with the average AOD value in Australia (Radhi et al, 2009).…”

Section: Extinction Coefficientsupporting

confidence: 81%

Characterization of aerosols over the Great Barrier Reef: The influence of transported continental sources

Chen

Schofield

Rayner

et al. 2019

Science of The Total Environment

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The rapid environmental changes in Australia prompt a more thorough investigation of the influence of transportation, local emissions, and optical-chemical properties on aerosol production across the region. A month-long intensive measurement campaign was conducted during spring 2016 at Mission Beach, a remote coastal site west of the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) on the northeast coast of Australia. One aerosol pollution episode was investigated in early October. This event was governed by meteorological conditions and characterized by the increase in black carbon (BC) mass concentration (averaged value of 0.35±0.20  gm-3). Under the 2 influence of the continental transportation, a new layer of nucleation-mode aerosols with an initial size diameter of 20 nm was observed and aerosol number concentrations reached the peak of 6733 cm-3 at a diameter of 29 nm. The averaged aerosol extinction coefficient at the height of 2 km was 150 Mm-1 , with a small depolarized ratio (3.5-5%). Simultaneously, the boundary layer height presented a fall-rise trend in the presence of these enhanced aerosol concentrations and became stable in a later stage of the episode. We did not observe clear boundary layer height diurnal variations from the LiDAR observations or from the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model outputs, except in an earlier stage of the aerosol episode for the former. Although the sea breeze may have been responsible for these particles, on the balance of available data, we suggest that the aerosol properties at the GBR surface during this period are more likely influenced by regional transportation of continental sources, including biomass-burning aerosols.

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Section: Extinction Coefficientsupporting

confidence: 81%

Characterization of aerosols over the Great Barrier Reef: The influence of transported continental sources

Chen

Schofield

Rayner

et al. 2019

Science of The Total Environment

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“…In addition, northern regions of Australia are subject to bushfires from spring to autumn, which burn thousands of square kilometres each year, making them responsible for 10.8% of global biomass burned area and around 7.5% of burned biomass globally [20]. Severe bushfires are also common in southern regions of the country under dry, hot, and windy conditions of the warmer months [31][32][33]. Finally, Australia's largest cities and industries, as well as intensive shipping activities along the coast, are important sources of anthropogenic emissions and contribute to the total atmospheric TM budgets [34][35][36][37][38].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Atmospheric Trace Metal Deposition from Natural and Anthropogenic Sources in Western Australia

et al. 2020

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Aerosols from Western Australia supply micronutrient trace elements including Fe into the western shelf of Australia and further afield into the Southern and Indian Oceans. However, regional observations of atmospheric trace metal deposition are limited. Here, we applied a series of leaching experiments followed by total analysis of bulk aerosol samples to a unique time-series of aerosol samples collected in Western Australia to determine atmospheric concentrations and solubilities of Fe and V, Mn, Co, Zn, and Pb. Positive matrix factorisation analysis indicated that mineral dust, biomass burning particulates, sea salt, and industrial emissions were the major types of aerosols. Overall, natural sources dominated Fe deposition. Higher atmospheric concentrations of mineral dust (sixfold) and biomass burning emissions were observed in warmer compared to cooler months. The fraction of labile Fe (0.6–6.0%) was lower than that reported for other regions of Australia. Bushfire emissions are a temporary source of labile Fe and may cause a peak in the delivery of its more easily available forms to the ocean. Increased labile Fe deposition may result in higher ocean productivity in regions where Fe is limiting, and the effect of aerosol deposition on ocean productivity in this region requires further study.

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“…Clearly it is usual for some proportion of smoke aerosols to persist for two or three weeks as plumes may be tracked by satellite measurements over such timescales e.g. (Radhi et al, 2009;Singh et al, 2006;Paton-Walsh et al, 2010).…”

Section: Using the Model Output To Correct For Doublecounting Of The ...mentioning

confidence: 99%

Estimated total emissions of trace gases from the Canberra wildfires of 2003: a new method using satellite measurements of aerosol optical depth and the MOZART chemical transport model

Paton‐Walsh¹,

Emmons²,

Wilson³

2010

Preprint

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Abstract. In this paper we describe a new method for estimating trace gas emissions from large vegetation fires using measurements of aerosol optical depth from the MODIS instruments onboard NASA's Terra and Aqua satellites, combined with the atmospheric chemical transport model MOZART. The model allows for an estimate of double counting of enhanced levels of aerosol optical depth in consecutive satellite overpasses. Using this method we infer an estimated total emission of 10±3 Tg of carbon monoxide from the Canberra fires of 2003. Emissions estimates for several other trace gases are also given. An assessment of the uncertainties in the new method is made and we show that our estimate agrees (within expected uncertainties) with estimates made using current conventional methods of multiplying together factors for the area burned, fuel load, the combustion efficiency and the emission factor for carbon monoxide. The new method for estimating emissions from large vegetation fires described in this paper has some significant uncertainties, but these are mainly quantifiable and largely independent of the uncertainties inherent in conventional techniques. Thus we conclude that the new method is a useful additional tool for characterising emissions from vegetation fires.

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Evolution of the optical properties of biomass-burning aerosol during the 2003 southeast Australian bushfires

Cited by 6 publications

References 18 publications

Characterization of aerosols over the Great Barrier Reef: The influence of transported continental sources

Characterization of aerosols over the Great Barrier Reef: The influence of transported continental sources

Atmospheric Trace Metal Deposition from Natural and Anthropogenic Sources in Western Australia

Estimated total emissions of trace gases from the Canberra wildfires of 2003: a new method using satellite measurements of aerosol optical depth and the MOZART chemical transport model

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