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Comment on “Reversal of trend of biomass burning in the Amazon” by Ilan Koren, Lorraine A. Remer, and Karla Longo
Author(s) -
Schroeder Wilfrid,
Giglio Louis,
Aravéquia José A.
Publication year - 2009
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2008gl035659
Subject(s) - amazon rainforest , moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer , advanced very high resolution radiometer , environmental science , remote sensing , climatology , biomass burning , meteorology , visible infrared imaging radiometer suite , biomass (ecology) , geography , physical geography , aerosol , geology , satellite , ecology , statistics , mathematics , biology , oceanography , calibration , engineering , aerospace engineering
[1] Recently,Koren et al. [2007] (hereinafter referred to as K2007) presented an analysis of biomass burning in Amazonia based on fire data from the NOAA-12 Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) and aerosol optical depth (AOD) data from the Terra Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). In their study, they sought to identify trends in biomass burning in Amazonia and to explain the large reduction in fires observed during 2006. They concluded that a steady increase in biomass burning occurred throughout the region from 1998 through 2005 and that the major decline in 2006 was linked to the tri-national environmental policy implemented in Madre de Dios (Peru), Acre (Brazil), and Pando (Bolivia) (together known as the MAP region) in western Amazonia. Here we discuss potential problems with the K2007 AVHRR data set and with assumptions made in their analysis which draw the K2007 conclusions into question.