Near Real-time Monitoring of Biomass Burning Particulate Emissions (PM2.5) Using Multiple Satellite Data
Abstract
Biomass burning is the second largest source of aerosols, which affects air quality and the Earth's radiation budget. Because the emissions of aerosols is strongly influenced by factors including biomass density, combustion efficiency, and burned area, current burning emission estimates are rather imprecise and vary markedly with different methodologies. The aim of this study is to model biomass burning emissions using satellite-derived vegetative fuel loadings, fuel moisture, and fire sizes in the USA. For this purpose, we first developed an approach for mapping vegetative fuel loadings using Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data at a spatial resolution of 1 km. MODIS data used in this study were land cover types, vegetation continuous fields, and a time series of leaf-area index (LAI). This dataset were compared with the fuel datasets derived from National Fire Danger Rating System (NFDRS) and Fuel Characteristic Classification System (FCCS). We then determined weekly fuel moisture categories from AVHRR-based vegetation condition index (VCI) to estimate fuel combustion efficiency and emission factors. The VCI was calculated by normalizing the NDVI (normalized difference vegetation index) to the difference of the extreme NDVI fluctuations (maximum and minimum) from 1982-2004. Further, we derived sub-pixel fire sizes from GOES WFABBA fire products at an interval of 30 minutes. We integrated all these parameters to produce aerosols (PM2.5) for each individual fire in 2002-2004 across the USA. Finally, we compared the daily estimates with National Wildfire Emissions Inventory data. The results suggest the biomass burning emissions from multiple satellite data can be applied to air quality forecast in near real time.
- Publication:
-
AGU Spring Meeting Abstracts
- Pub Date:
- May 2006
- Bibcode:
- 2006AGUSM.A32A..03Z
- Keywords:
-
- 0305 Aerosols and particles (0345;
- 4801;
- 4906);
- 0426 Biosphere/atmosphere interactions (0315)