Monitoring Global Biomass Burning CO emissions: MOPITT, AIRS, and Ground-based Spectrometers.

CO has several natural and human-induced sources. They are comparable in strength, but biomass burning (BB) is the only one that experiences significant interannual and seasonal variations. Thus, estimates of CO emission anomalies from BB using global satellite data are relatively straightforward. The importance of this monitoring is connected with long-term increases in global BB that has been speculated, but not yet proven. A comparison of global data from different orbital instruments in combination with their validation vs ground- based instruments provides a fast and direct way for prompt estimation of BB variations. This report presents analysis of CO global Level 3 measurements retrieved from satellite observations by MOPITT and AIRS through November 2008. Global CO burden anomalies are readily recalculated into anomalies of CO BB emissions assuming stable [OH]. Regional CO burden is a good indicator for BB variation in a region. Pyrogenic CO often is detected by ground-based instruments as well. A zenith-viewing Atmospheric Emission Radiance Interferometer (AERI) measuring mid-IR spectra supplies valuable information about pollution in the lower two km of atmosphere. Examples of AERI data for Oklahoma and Maryland will be presented.