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Southern California Fires seen from the NASA Aqua Satellite in October 2007 (NASA/MODIS Rapid Response)

Boreal Wildfire Emissions, Injection heights and Atmospheric Effects The occurrence of boreal wildfires has increased in the last decades as a result of drier and warmer conditions in boreal regions [Hassol, 2004] and increasing human impacts [Mollicone et al., 2006]. Thus, an accurate quantification of boreal wildfire emissions and their ultimate effect on the atmosphere is crucial. We are currently using satellite observations of aerosol stereoheight data (MISR) and fire locations (MODIS) interpreted with the 3-D tropospheric chemistry model GEOS-Chem to study the injection heights of the wildfire plumes and their further impact on atmospheric composition.   We are also constructing a high-resolution, daily, bottom-up inventory of North American forest fire emissions combining estimates of fuel consumption based on fuelbeds and emission factors, with daily area burned reports and MODIS fire hotspots. High-resolution fuel consumption maps are created using CONSUME v.3 and fuelbed descriptions from the U.S. and Canada Forest Services. More information M. Val Martin, J. A. Logan, R. Kahn, F.-Y. Leung, D. Nelson and D. Diner, Smoke injection heights from fires in North America: Analysis of 5 years of satellite observations, Atmos. Chem. Phys. Discuss., 9, 20515-20566. (pdf)

View of the Pico Mountain Station in the remote Pico Island over the central North Atlantic region (Pico Mountain Station).

Tropospheric Composition over Remote Regions Abundance and distribution of nitrogen oxides and other trace gases in the remote troposphere still remains unclear. Although valuable information is available from CTMs and satellite observations, the validation of these tools is limited by an inadequate coverage of trace gases in remote regions. As a part of my PhD at Michigan Tech, I made measurements of NO, NO2 and NOy at the Pico Mountain Observatory, over the central North Atlantic lower free troposphere from July 2002 to August 2005. I also collaborated with measurements of CO, O3, aerosol BC and C2-C6 NMHCs at the observatory. These observations reveal a well-defined seasonal cycle of nitrogen oxides (NOx = NO+NO2 and NOy) in the background central North Atlantic lower free troposphere, with higher mixing ratios during the summertime. Observed NOx and NOy levels are consistent with long-range transport of emissions, with significant removal en-route to the measurement site. Larger summertime nitrogen oxides levels are attributed to impacts of boreal wildfire emissions and more efficient export of NOy from eastern North America during this season. More information M. Val Martin, R. Honrath, R. C. Owen and Q. Li, Seasonal variation of nitrogen oxides in the central North Atlantic lower free troposphere, J. Geophys. Res., 113, D17307, doi:10.1029/2007JD009688. (pdf) M. Val Martin, R. Honrath, R. C. Owen and K. Lapina,  Large-scale impacts of anthropogenic pollution and boreal wildfires on the nitrogen oxides over the central North Atlantic, J. Geophys. Res., 113, D17307 doi:10.1029/2007JD009689. (pdf) M. Val Martin, R. Honrath, R. C. Owen, G. Pfister, P. Fialho and F. Barata, Significant enhancements of nitrogen oxides, ozone and aerosol black carbon in the North Atlantic lower free troposphere resulting from North American boreal wildfires, J. Geophys. Res., 111, D23S60, doi:10.1029/2006JD007530, 2006. (pdf)

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Maria Val Martin 2009