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On the emission of carbon, nitrogen and sulfur in the atmosphere during bushfires in intertropical savannah zones
Author(s) -
Delmas Robert
Publication year - 1982
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/gl009i007p00761
Subject(s) - atmosphere (unit) , sulfur , nitrogen , environmental science , carbon fibers , vegetation (pathology) , ton , environmental chemistry , atmospheric sciences , meteorology , geology , chemistry , geography , archaeology , materials science , organic chemistry , medicine , pathology , composite number , composite material
The fluxes of carbon, nitrogen and sulfur emitted to the atmosphere during bushfires in intertropical savannah zones are evaluated by measuring these three elements in various samples of plants and ashes collected before and after the fires in a savannah of Ivory Coast. We show that almost all the carbon and nitrogen, and over half the sulfur contained in the vegetation are released into the atmosphere during bushfires. Owing to the great extent of the areas burnt annually, this phenomenon constitutes an important spurge of C, N and S for the atmosphere : 1‐3.1×10 9 ton carbon, 5‐15×10 6 ton nitrogen and 0.4‐1.2×10 6 ton sulfur.