A multi-site passive approach to studying the emissions and evolution of smoke from prescribed fires

<p>We conducted a 2-year study utilizing a network of fixed sites with sampling throughout an extended prescribed burning period to characterize the emissions and evolution of smoke from silvicultural prescribed burning at a military base in the southeastern USA. The measurement approach and a...

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Main Authors: R. El Asmar, Z. Li, D. J. Tanner, Y. Hu, S. O'Neill, L. G. Huey, M. T. Odman, R. J. Weber
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Copernicus Publications 2024-11-01
Series:Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Online Access:https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/24/12749/2024/acp-24-12749-2024.pdf
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author R. El Asmar
Z. Li
D. J. Tanner
Y. Hu
S. O'Neill
L. G. Huey
M. T. Odman
R. J. Weber
author_facet R. El Asmar
Z. Li
D. J. Tanner
Y. Hu
S. O'Neill
L. G. Huey
M. T. Odman
R. J. Weber
author_sort R. El Asmar
collection DOAJ
description <p>We conducted a 2-year study utilizing a network of fixed sites with sampling throughout an extended prescribed burning period to characterize the emissions and evolution of smoke from silvicultural prescribed burning at a military base in the southeastern USA. The measurement approach and an assessment of the instrument performance are described. Smoke sources, including those within and off the base, are identified, and plume ages are determined to quantify emissions and study the evolution of smoke PM<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2.5</sub></span> (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters 2.5 <span class="inline-formula">µ</span>m or smaller) mass, black carbon (BC), and brown carbon (BrC). Over the 2021 and 2022 prescribed burning seasons (nominally January to May), we identified 64 smoke events based on high levels of PM<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2.5</sub></span> mass, BC, BrC, and carbon monoxide (CO), of which 61 were linked to a specific burning area. Smoke transport times were estimated in two ways: using the mean wind speed and the distance between the fire and the measurement site, and from Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) back-trajectories. PM<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2.5</sub></span> emission ratios based on <span class="inline-formula">Δ</span>PM<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2.5</sub></span> mass <span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M7" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mo>/</mo></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="8pt" height="14pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="36bd7baae116a5efc17e692d563c2b51"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-24-12749-2024-ie00001.svg" width="8pt" height="14pt" src="acp-24-12749-2024-ie00001.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> <span class="inline-formula">Δ</span>CO for fresh smoke (age <span class="inline-formula">≤</span> 1 h) ranged between 0.04 and 0.18 <span class="inline-formula">µ</span>g m<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−3</sup></span> ppb<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span> with a mean of 0.117 <span class="inline-formula">µ</span>g m<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−3</sup></span> ppb<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span> (median of 0.121 <span class="inline-formula">µ</span>g m<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−3</sup></span> ppb<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span>). Both the mean emission ratio and the variability were similar to findings from other prescribed fire studies but were lower than those from wildfires. The mean emission ratios of BC and BrC were 0.014 <span class="inline-formula">µ</span>g m<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−3</sup></span> ppb<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span> and 0.442 Mm<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span> ppb<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span>, respectively. Ozone enhancements (<span class="inline-formula">Δ</span>O<span class="inline-formula"><sub>3</sub></span>) were always observed in plumes detected in the afternoon. <span class="inline-formula">Δ</span>PM<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2.5</sub></span> mass <span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M28" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mo>/</mo></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="8pt" height="14pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="6e9042c80619a800f49fe8d9da77f107"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-24-12749-2024-ie00002.svg" width="8pt" height="14pt" src="acp-24-12749-2024-ie00002.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> <span class="inline-formula">Δ</span>CO was observed to increase with plume age in all of the ozone-enhanced plumes, suggesting photochemical secondary aerosol formation. In contrast, <span class="inline-formula">Δ</span>BrC/<span class="inline-formula">Δ</span>CO was not found to vary with plume ages less than 8 h during photochemically active periods.</p>
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spelling doaj-art-11fbff83bd2846309edd4ec8277f10952024-11-17T09:26:31ZengCopernicus PublicationsAtmospheric Chemistry and Physics1680-73161680-73242024-11-0124127491277310.5194/acp-24-12749-2024A multi-site passive approach to studying the emissions and evolution of smoke from prescribed firesR. El Asmar0Z. Li1D. J. Tanner2Y. Hu3S. O'Neill4L. G. Huey5M. T. Odman6R. J. Weber7School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30331, USASchool of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30331, USASchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30331, USASchool of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30331, USAUSDA Forest Service, Pacific Northwest Research Station, 400 North 34th Street, Suite 201, Seattle, WA 98103, USASchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30331, USASchool of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30331, USASchool of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30331, USA<p>We conducted a 2-year study utilizing a network of fixed sites with sampling throughout an extended prescribed burning period to characterize the emissions and evolution of smoke from silvicultural prescribed burning at a military base in the southeastern USA. The measurement approach and an assessment of the instrument performance are described. Smoke sources, including those within and off the base, are identified, and plume ages are determined to quantify emissions and study the evolution of smoke PM<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2.5</sub></span> (particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters 2.5 <span class="inline-formula">µ</span>m or smaller) mass, black carbon (BC), and brown carbon (BrC). Over the 2021 and 2022 prescribed burning seasons (nominally January to May), we identified 64 smoke events based on high levels of PM<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2.5</sub></span> mass, BC, BrC, and carbon monoxide (CO), of which 61 were linked to a specific burning area. Smoke transport times were estimated in two ways: using the mean wind speed and the distance between the fire and the measurement site, and from Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory (HYSPLIT) back-trajectories. PM<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2.5</sub></span> emission ratios based on <span class="inline-formula">Δ</span>PM<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2.5</sub></span> mass <span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M7" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mo>/</mo></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="8pt" height="14pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="36bd7baae116a5efc17e692d563c2b51"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-24-12749-2024-ie00001.svg" width="8pt" height="14pt" src="acp-24-12749-2024-ie00001.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> <span class="inline-formula">Δ</span>CO for fresh smoke (age <span class="inline-formula">≤</span> 1 h) ranged between 0.04 and 0.18 <span class="inline-formula">µ</span>g m<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−3</sup></span> ppb<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span> with a mean of 0.117 <span class="inline-formula">µ</span>g m<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−3</sup></span> ppb<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span> (median of 0.121 <span class="inline-formula">µ</span>g m<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−3</sup></span> ppb<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span>). Both the mean emission ratio and the variability were similar to findings from other prescribed fire studies but were lower than those from wildfires. The mean emission ratios of BC and BrC were 0.014 <span class="inline-formula">µ</span>g m<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−3</sup></span> ppb<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span> and 0.442 Mm<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span> ppb<span class="inline-formula"><sup>−1</sup></span>, respectively. Ozone enhancements (<span class="inline-formula">Δ</span>O<span class="inline-formula"><sub>3</sub></span>) were always observed in plumes detected in the afternoon. <span class="inline-formula">Δ</span>PM<span class="inline-formula"><sub>2.5</sub></span> mass <span class="inline-formula"><math xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" id="M28" display="inline" overflow="scroll" dspmath="mathml"><mo>/</mo></math><span><svg:svg xmlns:svg="http://www.w3.org/2000/svg" width="8pt" height="14pt" class="svg-formula" dspmath="mathimg" md5hash="6e9042c80619a800f49fe8d9da77f107"><svg:image xmlns:xlink="http://www.w3.org/1999/xlink" xlink:href="acp-24-12749-2024-ie00002.svg" width="8pt" height="14pt" src="acp-24-12749-2024-ie00002.png"/></svg:svg></span></span> <span class="inline-formula">Δ</span>CO was observed to increase with plume age in all of the ozone-enhanced plumes, suggesting photochemical secondary aerosol formation. In contrast, <span class="inline-formula">Δ</span>BrC/<span class="inline-formula">Δ</span>CO was not found to vary with plume ages less than 8 h during photochemically active periods.</p>https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/24/12749/2024/acp-24-12749-2024.pdf
spellingShingle R. El Asmar
Z. Li
D. J. Tanner
Y. Hu
S. O'Neill
L. G. Huey
M. T. Odman
R. J. Weber
A multi-site passive approach to studying the emissions and evolution of smoke from prescribed fires
Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
title A multi-site passive approach to studying the emissions and evolution of smoke from prescribed fires
title_full A multi-site passive approach to studying the emissions and evolution of smoke from prescribed fires
title_fullStr A multi-site passive approach to studying the emissions and evolution of smoke from prescribed fires
title_full_unstemmed A multi-site passive approach to studying the emissions and evolution of smoke from prescribed fires
title_short A multi-site passive approach to studying the emissions and evolution of smoke from prescribed fires
title_sort multi site passive approach to studying the emissions and evolution of smoke from prescribed fires
url https://acp.copernicus.org/articles/24/12749/2024/acp-24-12749-2024.pdf
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