Josette Marrero, Sonoma Technology
Abstract:
Biomass burning, which includes wildfires, prescribed, and agricultural fires, is an important source of trace gases and particles, and can influence air quality on a local, regional, and global scale. With the threat of wildfire events increasing due to changes in land use, increasing population, and climate change, the importance of characterizing wildfire emissions is vital. The Soberanes Fire began from an illegal campfire on 22 July 2016 in the Garrapata State Park in Monterey County, California. Over the following three months the fire burned a total of 132,127 acres. Presented here are aircraft measurements of carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), ozone (O3), and formaldehyde (HCHO) from five flights near and downwind of the Soberanes wildfire, collected as part of the Alpha Jet Atmospheric eXperiment (AJAX). In situ data are used to determine enhancement ratios (ERs), or excess mixing ratio relative to CO2, as well as assess O3 production from the fire. Downwind air quality impacts are assessed using both measured and modeled data. This includes ground-based monitoring site data, satellite smoke products, and the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) photochemical grid model.
Flyer File: marrero_josette_ccb_flyer.pdf
