The quantity of biomass burned in southern Africa

Scholes, Robert J.; Kendall, Jackie D.; Justice, Christopher O.

doi:10.1029/96jd01623

Cited by 151 publications

(162 citation statements)

References 22 publications

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“…Fuel loads are the next most uncertain parameter required for estimates of fire emissions. Historically, biome-averaged values were used, but more recently satellite imagery has been used to represent heterogeneity within biomes (e.g., Scholes et al, 1996;Barbosa et al, 1999). Currently, most studies employ biogeochemical models to more accurately estimate fuel loads.…”

Section: G R Van Der Werf Et Al: Interannual Variability In Globalmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interannual variability in global biomass burning emissions from 1997 to 2004

et al. 2006

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Abstract. Biomass burning represents an important source of atmospheric aerosols and greenhouse gases, yet little is known about its interannual variability or the underlying mechanisms regulating this variability at continental to global scales. Here we investigated fire emissions during the 8 year period from 1997 to 2004 using satellite data and the CASA biogeochemical model. Burned area from 2001-2004 was derived using newly available active fire and 500 m. burned area datasets from MODIS following the approach described by Giglio et al. (2006). ATSR and VIRS satellite data were used to extend the burned area time series back in time through 1997. In our analysis we estimated fuel loads, including organic soil layer and peatland fuels, and the net flux from terrestrial ecosystems as the balance between net primary production (NPP), heterotrophic respiration (R h ), and biomass burning, using time varying inputs of precipitation (PPT), temperature, solar radiation, and satellite-derived fractional absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (fA-PAR). For the 1997-2004 period, we found that on average approximately 58 Pg C year −1 was fixed by plants as NPP, and approximately 95% of this was returned back to the atmosphere via R h . Another 4%, or 2.5 Pg C year −1 was emitted by biomass burning; the remainder consisted of losses from fuel wood collection and subsequent burning. At a global scale, burned area and total fire emissions were largely decoupled from year to year. Total carbon emissions tracked burning in forested areas (including deforestation fires in the tropics), whereas burned area was largely controlled by savanna fires that responded to different environmental and human factors. Biomass burning emissions showed large interannual variability with a range of more than 1 Pg C year −1 , Correspondence to: G. R. van der Werf (guido.van.der.werf@falw.vu.nl) with a maximum in 1998 (3.2 Pg C year −1 ) and a minimum in 2000 (2.0 Pg C year −1 ).

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Section: G R Van Der Werf Et Al: Interannual Variability In Globalmentioning

confidence: 99%

Interannual variability in global biomass burning emissions from 1997 to 2004

et al. 2006

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“…We compiled a summary of measurements (Allen and Miguel, 1995;Anderson et al, 1996;Andreae and Merlet, 2001;Cachier et al 1996;LeCanut et al, 1996;Radke et al, 1991;Scholes et al, 1996;Suscott et al, 1991). Measured size distributions have been fitted to a multi-model lognormal distribution, which is defined by…”

Section: Appendix C Background To the Sizing Of Primary Aerosol From mentioning

confidence: 99%

Emissions of primary aerosol and precursor gases in the years 2000 and 1750 prescribed data-sets for AeroCom

Dentener¹,

et al. 2006

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Abstract. Inventories for global aerosol and aerosol precursor emissions have been collected (based on published inventories and published simulations), assessed and prepared for the year 2000 (present-day conditions) and for the year 1750 (pre-industrial conditions). These global datasets establish a comprehensive source for emission input to global modeling, when simulating the aerosol impact on climate with state-of-the-art aerosol component modules. As these modules stratify aerosol into dust, sea-salt, sulfate, organic matter and soot, for all these aerosol types global fields on emission strength and recommendations for injection altitude and particulate size are provided. Temporal resolution varies between daily (dust and sea-salt), monthly (wild-land fires) and annual (all other emissions). These datasets benchmark aerosol emissions according to the knowledge in the year 2004. They are intended to serve as systematic constraints in sensitivity studies of the AeroCom initiative, which seeks to quantify (actual) uncertainties in aerosol global modeling.

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“…Grass and hardwood fuels were selected because they account for a large fraction of the global biomass burning [Crutzen and Andreae, 1990;Scholes et al, 1996] and because no in situ, spectroscopic measurements of smoke composition from fires in these fuels had been reported. Grass samples (Table 1) were rough fescue (Festuca scabre#a, a bunch grass native to Montana) and wire grass from the southeastern United States.…”

Section: Experimental Details Fuel Selection Objectivesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Emissions from smoldering combustion of biomass measured by open‐path Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

Yokelson¹,

Susott²,

Ward³

et al. 1997

J. Geophys. Res.

366

368

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Abstract. Biomass samples from a diverse range of ecosystems were burned in the Intermountain Fire Sciences Laboratory open combustion facility. Midinfrared spectra of the nascent emissions were acquired at several heights above the fires with a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR) coupled to an open multipas• cell. In this report, the results from smoldering combustion during 24 fires are presented including production of carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, methane, ethene, ethyne, propene, formaldehyde, 2-hydroxyethanal, methanol, phenol, acetic acid, formic acid, ammonia, hydrogen cyanide, and carbonyl sulfide. These were the dominant products observed, and many have significant influence on atmospheric chemistry at the local, regional, and global scale. Included in these results are the first optical, in situ measurements of smoke composition from fires in grasses, hardwoods, and organic soils. About one half of the detected organic emissions arose from fuel pyrolysis which produces white smoke rich in oxygenated organic compounds. These compounds deserve more attention in the assessment of fire impacts on the atmosphere. The compound 2-hydroxyethanal is a significant component of the smoke, and it is reported here for the first time as a product of fires. Most of the observed alkane and ammonia production accompanied visible glowing combustion. NH3 is normally the major nitrogen-containing emission detected from smoldering combustion of biomass, but from some smoldering organic soils, HCN was dominant. Tar condensed on cool surfaces below the fires accounting for • 1% of the biomass burned, but it was enriched in N by a factor of 6 -7 over the parent material, and its possible role in postfire nutrient cycling should be further investigated.

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The quantity of biomass burned in southern Africa

Cited by 151 publications

References 22 publications

Interannual variability in global biomass burning emissions from 1997 to 2004

Interannual variability in global biomass burning emissions from 1997 to 2004

Emissions of primary aerosol and precursor gases in the years 2000 and 1750 prescribed data-sets for AeroCom

Emissions from smoldering combustion of biomass measured by open‐path Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy

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