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Biomass burning as a potential source for atmospheric ice nuclei: Western wildfires and prescribed burns
Author(s) -
Prenni Anthony J.,
DeMott Paul J.,
Sullivan Amy P.,
Sullivan Ryan C.,
Kreidenweis Sonia M.,
Rogers David C.
Publication year - 2012
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 - 10.1029/2012gl051915
Subject(s) - biomass burning , environmental science , atmospheric sciences , aerosol , ice nucleus , atmosphere (unit) , biomass (ecology) , combustion , range (aeronautics) , astrobiology , geology , meteorology , chemistry , materials science , oceanography , nucleation , geography , organic chemistry , composite material , physics
The sources, abundance and nature of atmospheric particles that serve as ice nuclei (IN) for cold cloud formation remain some of the most important, yet poorly‐characterized, features of aerosol‐cloud interactions that indirectly affect climate. Although a great deal of effort has focused on characterizing the ice nucleating ability of mineral dusts, less is known about carbonaceous particles. A primary source for carbonaceous IN is from biomass combustion. Here we report new measurements of IN activity at −30°C and above water saturation from biomass burning generated particles from prescribed burns and wildfires in the western US. These measurements suggest a range of IN activity, with variability largely dependent on the intensity of the fire. Although the fraction of particles generated during burns which serve as IN is quite small, the large numbers of particles generated in fires make biomass burning a potentially important source of IN to the atmosphere.