Smokin' Chemistry under Moonlight. Determining Air Quality and Climate Impacts from Wildfire Smoke Requires an Investigation of how Smoke Changes Chemically, in the Dark.
Abstract
Last year 8.8 million acres burned in the U.S. (300x the land area of San Francisco). Smoke from this biomass burning contains a complex mixture of molecules and aerosol. How this mixture evolves and affects air quality and climate depends on the presence of common atmospheric oxidants, which in turn depend on the presence or absence of sunlight. Nighttime, or low photolysis, smoke chemistry is understudied compared to photolysis-driven smoke chemistry even though smoke plumes are often relatively dark at their centers. We have conducted modeling studies to identify which compounds play important roles in the evolution of dark smoke chemistry. In addition, we have conducted flow tube and chamber studies to elucidate the kinetics and mechanism of these key molecules. Finally, as part of the NASA and NOAA FIREX-AQ campaign, we are studying nighttime smoke plumes in-situ via aircraft to understand the air quality and climate impacts. Results and insights from these studies will be presented.
- Publication:
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AGU Fall Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- December 2019
- Bibcode:
- 2019AGUFM.U14C..12D
- Keywords:
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- 0810 Post-secondary education;
- EDUCATION;
- 0815 Informal education;
- EDUCATION