Open AccessLaboratory investigation of fire radiative energy and smoke aerosol emissions
Author(s) -
Ichoku Charles,
Martins J. Vanderlei,
Kaufman Yoram J.,
Wooster Martin J.,
Freeborn Patrick H.,
Hao Wei Min,
Baker Stephen,
Ryan Cecily A.,
Nordgren Bryce L.
Publication year - 2008
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: atmospheres
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.67
H-Index - 298
eISSN - 2156-2202
pISSN - 0148-0227
DOI - 10.1029/2007jd009659
Subject(s) - smoke , environmental science , atmospheric sciences , aerosol , combustion , particulates , mass concentration (chemistry) , carbon monoxide , radiative transfer , biomass burning , carbon dioxide , environmental chemistry , meteorology , chemistry , physics , biochemistry , organic chemistry , catalysis , quantum mechanics
Fuel biomass samples from southern Africa and the United States were burned in a laboratory combustion chamber while measuring the biomass consumption rate, the fire radiative energy (FRE) release rate ( R fre ), and the smoke concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO 2 ), and particulate matter (PM). The PM mass emission rate ( R PM ) was quantified from aerosol optical thickness (AOT) derived from smoke extinction measurements using a custom‐made laser transmissometer. The R PM and R fre time series for each fire were integrated to total PM mass and FRE, respectively, the ratio of which represents its FRE‐based PM emission coefficient ( C e PM ). A strong correlation ( r 2 = 0.82) was found between the total FRE and total PM mass, from which an average C e PM value of 0.03 kg MJ −1 was calculated. This value agrees with those derived similarly from satellite‐borne measurements of R fre and AOT acquired over large‐scale wildfires.