Wildfire Smoke Particle Properties and Evolution, from Space-Based Multi-Angle Imaging

Noyes, Katherine Junghenn; Kahn, Ralph A.; Sedlacek, Arthur J.; Kleinman, Lawrence I.; Limbacher, James A.; Li, Zhanqing

doi:10.3390/rs12050769

Cited by 36 publications

(39 citation statements)

References 62 publications

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“…Aerosol size data used in this study are from the FIMS (Fast Integrated Mobility Spectrometer) (Olfert et al, 2008;Wang et al, 2017), designed to provide information similar to an SMPS. Because the FIMS measures particles of different sizes simultaneously instead of sequentially as in a traditional SMPS, it provides aerosol size spectra with high time resolution (i.e., a size spectrum is acquired in 1 s vs. 60 s for the SMPS).…”

Section: Fimsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rapid evolution of aerosol particles and their optical properties downwind of wildfires in the western US

et al. 2020

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Abstract. During the first phase of the Biomass Burn Operational Project (BBOP) field campaign, conducted in the Pacific Northwest, the DOE G-1 aircraft was used to follow the time evolution of wildfire smoke from near the point of emission to locations 2–3.5 h downwind. In nine flights we made repeated transects of wildfire plumes at varying downwind distances and could thereby follow the plume's time evolution. On average there was little change in dilution-normalized aerosol mass concentration as a function of downwind distance. This consistency hides a dynamic system in which primary aerosol particles are evaporating and secondary ones condensing. Organic aerosol is oxidized as a result. On all transects more than 90 % of aerosol is organic. In freshly emitted smoke aerosol, NH4+ is approximately equivalent to NO3. After 2 h of daytime aging, NH4+ increased and is approximately equivalent to the sum of Cl, SO42, and NO3. Particle size increased with downwind distance, causing particles to be more efficient scatters. Averaged over nine flights, mass scattering efficiency (MSE) increased in ∼ 2 h by 56 % and doubled in one flight. Mechanisms for redistributing mass from small to large particles are discussed. Coagulation is effective at moving aerosol from the Aitken to accumulation modes but yields only a minor increase in MSE. As absorption remained nearly constant with age, the time evolution of single scatter albedo was controlled by age-dependent scattering. Near-fire aerosol had a single scatter albedo (SSA) of 0.8–0.9. After 1 to 2 h of aging SSAs were typically 0.9 and greater. Assuming global-average surface and atmospheric conditions, the observed age dependence in SSA would change the direct radiative effect of a wildfire plume from near zero near the fire to a cooling effect downwind.

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Section: Fimsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Rapid evolution of aerosol particles and their optical properties downwind of wildfires in the western US

et al. 2020

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“…The differential absorption CO measurements instrument (DACOM) CO mixing ratio and the laser aerosol spectrometer (LAS) total aerosol concentration observed by the aircraft (above 0.09 µm in diameter) are displayed in (c) and (d), respectively. Several obstacles to comparing satellite and in situ observations determine how a validation study such as this must proceed [35]. These include (but are not limited to): (1) differences in temporal and spatial sampling; (2) varying instrument uncertainties and assumptions in the satellite retrieval algorithms; and (3) differences between column-integrated quantities measured by passive satellite sensors and direct measurements at specific 3d locations obtained from aircraft.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…With MINX, the user manually defines the plume source, plume extent, and wind direction in the MINX imagery to retrieve heights and winds locally. MINX has been used in a number of studies, including but not limited to retrieving heights and winds for volcano, wildfire, and dust plumes [35,[39][40][41][42][43][44][45][46][47][48][49][50]. Under good conditions, MINX plume height estimates are accurate within +/−0.5 km or better.…”

Section: Misrmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…As discussed subsequently, these particle properties are, for the most part, neatly distinctive between the four plume regions. It is important to reiterate that, when considering specific particle types (e.g., black carbon, brown carbon, soil/dust, non-absorbing aerosols), the MISR-retrieved aerosol properties represent the optical equivalent of the true smoke particle mixture, which is not necessarily a mixture of the specific components retrieved from among those prescribed by the RA climatology [35,47,48,54]. Note that the missing retrievals in the RA results are pixels located above the river, as the version of the RA used in this study is geared for land observations only (future versions will include an over-water component).…”

Section: Satellite Observationsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…However, the application of new satellite remote sensing techniques requires thorough validation against coincident in situ observations. Our previous work, (Junghenn-Noyes et al, 2020 [35], henceforth Paper 1) represents the first part of this program. It compares the height and particle property results and interpretations from NASA Earth Observing System's Multi-Angle Imaging Spectrometer (MISR) instrument with detailed, near-coincident aircraft observations of three wildfire smoke plumes during the U.S. Department of Energy's 2013 Biomass Burning Observation Project (BBOP) field campaign [27,28].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Wildfire Smoke Particle Properties and Evolution, From Space-Based Multi-Angle Imaging II: The Williams Flats Fire during the FIREX-AQ Campaign

et al. 2020

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Although the characteristics of biomass burning events and the ambient ecosystem determine emitted smoke composition, the conditions that modulate the partitioning of black carbon (BC) and brown carbon (BrC) formation are not well understood, nor are the spatial or temporal frequency of factors driving smoke particle evolution, such as hydration, coagulation, and oxidation, all of which impact smoke radiative forcing. In situ data from surface observation sites and aircraft field campaigns offer deep insight into the optical, chemical, and microphysical traits of biomass burning (BB) smoke aerosols, such as single scattering albedo (SSA) and size distribution, but cannot by themselves provide robust statistical characterization of both emitted and evolved particles. Data from the NASA Earth Observing System’s Multi-Angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) instrument can provide at least a partial picture of BB particle properties and their evolution downwind, once properly validated. Here we use in situ data from the joint NOAA/NASA 2019 Fire Influence on Regional to Global Environments Experiment-Air Quality (FIREX-AQ) field campaign to assess the strengths and limitations of MISR-derived constraints on particle size, shape, light-absorption, and its spectral slope, as well as plume height and associated wind vectors. Based on the satellite observations, we also offer inferences about aging mechanisms effecting downwind particle evolution, such as gravitational settling, oxidation, secondary particle formation, and the combination of particle aggregation and condensational growth. This work builds upon our previous study, adding confidence to our interpretation of the remote-sensing data based on an expanded suite of in situ measurements for validation. The satellite and in situ measurements offer similar characterizations of particle property evolution as a function of smoke age for the 06 August Williams Flats Fire, and most of the key differences in particle size and absorption can be attributed to differences in sampling and changes in the plume geometry between sampling times. Whereas the aircraft data provide validation for the MISR retrievals, the satellite data offer a spatially continuous mapping of particle properties over the plume, which helps identify trends in particle property downwind evolution that are ambiguous in the sparsely sampled aircraft transects. The MISR data record is more than two decades long, offering future opportunities to study regional wildfire plume behavior statistically, where aircraft data are limited or entirely lacking.

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Data assimilation for Numerical Smoke Prediction

Hyer

Camacho

Peterson

et al. 2022

Preprint

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Skillful forecasts of weather phenomena in numerical models begin with the most accurate set of initial conditions achievable from observational datasets. The process of combining observations with numerical model predictions is called data assimilation. This chapter describes the types of observations available for data assimilation in models that predict the transport, fate, and impacts of smoke pollution. Observation properties needed for effective data assimilation are identified based on experiences with a variety of observation types in data assimilation experiments, compiled from the published literature. The second half of the chapter surveys the data assimilation methodologies that have been applied to smoke aerosols, and describes specific problems associated with the smoke observations that require innovative techniques in data assimilation. The chapter concludes by providing an outlook for future research and development in data assimilation for smoke prediction models. Data assimilation for prediction of smoke is an emerging area of development that promises to greatly improve forecast skill as new datasets and techniques are applied.

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Wildfire Smoke Particle Properties and Evolution, from Space-Based Multi-Angle Imaging

Cited by 36 publications

References 62 publications

Rapid evolution of aerosol particles and their optical properties downwind of wildfires in the western US

Rapid evolution of aerosol particles and their optical properties downwind of wildfires in the western US

Wildfire Smoke Particle Properties and Evolution, From Space-Based Multi-Angle Imaging II: The Williams Flats Fire during the FIREX-AQ Campaign

Data assimilation for Numerical Smoke Prediction

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