A Collection of Airborne Measurements and Analyses of Trace Gases Emitted from Multiple Fires in California

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura T Iraci ◽  
Caroline Parworth ◽  
Emma L Yates ◽  
Josette E Marrero ◽  
Ju-Mee Ryoo
Keyword(s):  
Trace Gases ◽  
Airborne Measurements

scholarly journals The global lightning-induced nitrogen oxides source

2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (1) ◽  
pp. 2623-2818 ◽  
Author(s):  
U. Schumann ◽  
H. Huntrieser
Keyword(s):  
Nitrogen Oxides ◽  
Climate Changes ◽  
Trace Gases ◽  
Tropospheric Chemistry ◽  
Laboratory Studies ◽  
Mass Source ◽  
Uncertainty Range ◽  
Airborne Measurements ◽  
Model Studies ◽  
Uncertainty Factor

Abstract. The knowledge of the lightning-induced nitrogen oxides (LNOx) source is important for understanding and predicting the nitrogen oxides and ozone distributions in the troposphere and their trends, the oxidising capacity of the atmosphere, and the lifetime of trace gases destroyed by reactions with OH. This knowledge is further required for the assessment of other important NOx sources, in particular from aviation, the stratosphere, and from surface sources, and for understanding the possible feedback between climate changes and lightning. This paper reviews more then 3 decades of research. The review includes laboratory studies as well as surface, airborne and satellite-based observations of lightning and of NOx and related species in the atmosphere. Relevant data available from measurements in regions with strong LNOx influence are identified, including recent observations at midlatitudes and over tropical continents where most lightning occurs. Various methods to model LNOx at cloud scales or globally are described. Previous estimates are re-evaluated using the global annual mean flash frequency of 44±5 s−1 reported from OTD satellite data. From the review, mainly of airborne measurements near thunderstorms and cloud-resolving models, we conclude that a "typical" thunderstorm flash produces 15 (2–40)×1025 NO molecules per flash, equivalent to 250 mol NOx or 3.5 kg of N mass per flash with uncertainty factor from 0.13 to 2.7. Mainly as a result of previous global model studies for various LNOx parameterisations tested with related observations, the best estimate of the annual global LNOx nitrogen mass source and its uncertainty range is (5±3) Tg a−1 in this study. An accuracy of order 1 Tg a−1 or 20%, as necessary in particular for understanding tropical tropospheric chemistry, is still a challenging goal.

scholarly journals Trace gas and particle emissions from open biomass burning in Mexico

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (14) ◽  
pp. 6787-6808 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. J. Yokelson ◽  
I. R. Burling ◽  
S. P. Urbanski ◽  
E. L. Atlas ◽  
K. Adachi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Forest Fires ◽  
Large Fraction ◽  
Trace Gases ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Dry Forest ◽  
Southern Mexico ◽  
Carbonaceous Particles ◽  
Airborne Measurements ◽  
Combustion Sources ◽  
Reactive Trace Gases

Abstract. We report airborne measurements of emission factors (EF) for trace gases and PM2.5 made in southern Mexico in March of 2006 on 6 crop residue fires, 3 tropical dry forest fires, 8 savanna fires, 1 garbage fire, and 7 mountain pine-oak forest fires. The savanna fire EF were measured early in the local dry season and when compared to EF measured late in the African dry season they were at least 1.7 times larger for NOx, NH3, H2, and most non-methane organic compounds. Our measurements suggest that urban deposition and high windspeed may also be associated with significantly elevated NOx EF. When considering all fires sampled, the percentage of particles containing soot increased from 15 to 60 % as the modified combustion efficiency increased from 0.88 to 0.98. We estimate that about 175 Tg of fuel was consumed by open burning of biomass and garbage and as biofuel (mainly wood cooking fires) in Mexico in 2006. Combining the fuel consumption estimates with our EF measurements suggests that the above combustion sources account for a large fraction of the reactive trace gases and more than 90 % of the total primary, fine carbonaceous particles emitted by all combustion sources in Mexico.

STAAARTE-MED 1998 summer airborne measurements over the Aegean Sea 1. Aerosol particles and trace gases

2002 ◽  
Vol 107 (D21) ◽  
pp. AAC 1-1-AAC 1-15 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paola Formenti ◽  
Thomas Reiner ◽  
Detlev Sprung ◽  
Meinrat O. Andreae ◽  
Manfred Wendisch ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Aerosol Particles ◽  
Trace Gases ◽  
Aegean Sea ◽  
Airborne Measurements

scholarly journals Assessment of fossil fuel carbon dioxide and other anthropogenic trace gas emissions from airborne measurements over Sacramento, California in spring 2009

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 705-721 ◽  
Author(s):  
J. C. Turnbull ◽  
A. Karion ◽  
M. L. Fischer ◽  
I. Faloona ◽  
T. Guilderson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Boundary Layer ◽  
Mole Fraction ◽  
Fossil Fuel ◽  
Trace Gases ◽  
Emission Inventories ◽  
Airborne Measurements ◽  
Boundary Layer Height ◽  
The Difference ◽  
Emission Ratios

Abstract. Direct quantification of fossil fuel CO2 (CO2ff) in atmospheric samples can be used to examine several carbon cycle and air quality questions. We collected in situ CO2, CO, and CH4 measurements and flask samples in the boundary layer and free troposphere over Sacramento, California, USA, during two aircraft flights over and downwind of this urban area during spring of 2009. The flask samples were analyzed for Δ14CO2 and CO2 to determine the recently added CO2ff mole fraction. A suite of greenhouse and other trace gases, including hydrocarbons and halocarbons, were measured in the same samples. Strong correlations were observed between CO2ff and numerous trace gases associated with urban emissions. From these correlations we estimate emission ratios between CO2ff and these species, and compare these with bottom-up inventory-derived estimates. Recent county level inventory estimates for carbon monoxide (CO) and benzene from the California Air Resources Board CEPAM database are in good agreement with our measured emission ratios, whereas older emissions inventories appear to overestimate emissions of these gases by a factor of two. For most other trace species, there are substantial differences (200–500%) between our measured emission ratios and those derived from available emission inventories. For the first flight, we combine in situ CO measurements with the measured CO:CO2ff emission ratio of 14 ± 2 ppbCO/ppmCO2 to derive an estimate of CO2ff mole fraction throughout this flight, and also estimate the biospheric CO2 mixing ratio (CO2bio) from the difference of total and fossil CO2. The resulting CO2bio varies dramatically from up to 8 ± 2 ppm in the urban plume to −6 ± 1 ppm in the surrounding boundary layer air. Finally, we use the in situ estimates of CO2ff mole fraction to infer total fossil fuel CO2 emissions from the Sacramento region, using a mass balance approach. The resulting emissions are uncertain to within a factor of two due to uncertainties in wind speed and boundary layer height. Nevertheless, this first attempt to estimate urban-scale CO2ff from atmospheric radiocarbon measurements shows that CO2ff can be used to verify and improve emission inventories for many poorly known anthropogenic species, separate biospheric CO2, and indicates the potential to constrain CO2ff emissions if transport uncertainties are reduced.

scholarly journals The Airborne ROmanian Measurements of Aerosols and Trace gases (AROMAT) campaigns

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexis Merlaud ◽  
Livio Belegante ◽  
Daniel-Eduard Constantin ◽  
Mirjam Den Hoed ◽  
Andreas Carlos Meier ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Power Plants ◽  
Dynamic Range ◽  
Signal To Noise Ratio ◽  
Trace Gases ◽  
Vertical Column ◽  
Airborne Measurements ◽  
Tropospheric No2 ◽  
Order Of Magnitude ◽  
Vertical Column Density ◽  
Optimal Target

Abstract. The Airborne ROmanian Measurements of Aerosols and Trace gases (AROMAT) campaigns took place in Romania in September 2014 and August 2015. They focused on two sites: the Bucharest urban area and the power plants in the Jiu Valley. Their main objectives were to test recently developed airborne observation systems dedicated to air quality studies and to verify the concept of such campaigns in support of the validation of spaceborne atmospheric missions such as TROPOspheric Monitoring Instrument (TROPOMI)/Sentinel-5 Precursor (S5P). We show that tropospheric NO2 vertical column density (VCD) measurements using airborne mapping instruments are valuable for satellite validation. The signal to noise ratio of the airborne NO2 measurements is one order of magnitude higher than its spaceborne counterpart when the airborne measurements are averaged at the TROPOMI pixel scale. A significant source of comparison error appears to be the time variation of the NO2 VCDs during a flight, which we estimated at about 4 x 1015 molec cm-2 in the AROMAT conditions. Considering the random error of the TROPOMI tropospheric NO2 VCD (σ), the dynamic range of the NO2 VCDs field extends from detection limit up to 37σ (2.6 x 1016 molec cm-2) or 29σ (2 x 1016 molec cm-2) for Bucharest and the Jiu Valley, respectively. For the two areas, we simulate validation exercises of the TROPOMI tropospheric NO2 product using airborne measurements. These simulations indicate that we can closely approach the TROPOMI optimal target accuracy of 25 % by adding NO2 and aerosol profile information to the mapping data, which constrains the investigated accuracy within 28 %. In addition to NO2, we also measured significant amounts of SO2 in the Jiu Valley, as well as a hotspot of H2CO in the center of Bucharest. For these two species, we conclude that the best validation strategy would consist in deploying ground-based measurement systems at key locations which the AROMAT observations help identify.

Spectroscopic Instruments for Airborne Measurements of Atmospheric Trace Gases

2011 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alan Fried ◽  
Dirk Richter ◽  
Petter Weibring ◽  
James Walega ◽  
Scott Spuler ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Trace Gases ◽  
Atmospheric Trace Gases ◽  
Airborne Measurements

scholarly journals Trace gas and particle emissions from open biomass burning in Mexico

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (3) ◽  
pp. 7321-7374 ◽  
Author(s):  
R. J. Yokelson ◽  
I. R. Burling ◽  
S. P. Urbanski ◽  
E. L. Atlas ◽  
K. Adachi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Forest Fires ◽  
Large Fraction ◽  
Trace Gases ◽  
Dry Season ◽  
Dry Forest ◽  
Southern Mexico ◽  
Carbonaceous Particles ◽  
Airborne Measurements ◽  
Combustion Sources ◽  
Reactive Trace Gases

Abstract. We report airborne measurements of emission factors (EF) for trace gases and PM2.5 made in southern Mexico in March of 2006 on 6 crop residue fires, 3 tropical dry forest fires, 8 savanna fires, 1 garbage fire, and 7 mountain pine-oak forest fires. The savanna fire EF were measured early in the local dry season and when compared to EF measured late in the African dry season they were at least 1.7 times larger for NOx, NH3, H2, and most non-methane organic compounds. Our measurements suggest that urban deposition and high windspeed may also be associated with significantly elevated NOx EF. When considering all fires sampled, the percentage of particles containing soot increased from 15 to 60% as the modified combustion efficiency increased from 0.88 to 0.98. We estimate that about 175 Tg of fuel was consumed by open burning of biomass and garbage and as biofuel (mainly wood cooking fires) in Mexico in 2006. Combining the fuel consumption estimates with our EF measurements suggests that the above combustion sources account for a large fraction of the reactive trace gases and more than 90% of the total primary, fine carbonaceous particles emitted by all combustion sources in Mexico.

Airborne Measurements of Trace Organic Species in the Upper Troposphere Over Europe: the Impact of Deep Convection

2006 ◽  
Vol 3 (4) ◽  
pp. 244 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aurélie Colomb ◽  
Jonathan Williams ◽  
John Crowley ◽  
Valérie Gros ◽  
Rolf Hofmann ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Atmospheric Chemistry ◽  
Deep Convection ◽  
Trace Gases ◽  
Upper Troposphere ◽  
Airborne Measurements ◽  
Organic Species ◽  
Mixing Ratios ◽  
Benzene Toluene ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Organic Trace

Environmental Context. In the upper troposphere, sources of HOx such as acetone, peroxides, and aldehydes can play an important role in governing the production and destruction of ozone. Convection (over both land and sea) carries gases that can contribute to increased levels of HOx to the upper troposphere. The chemical impact of convection on the continental upper troposphere over Europe is studied by sampling the upper troposphere. Mass spectrometry techniques are used to analyze the collected samples. Such a study should aid in understanding the impact meteorological events have on atmospheric chemistry. Abstract. The volume mixing ratios of several organic trace gases and ozone (O3) were measured in the upper troposphere over Europe during the UTOPIHAN-ACT aircraft campaign in July 2003. The organic trace gases included alkanes, isoprene, aromatics, iodomethane, and trichloroethylene, oxygenates such as acetone, methanol, formaldehyde, carbon monoxide, and longer-lived tracer species such as chlorofluorocarbons and halochloroflurocarbons. The aim of the UTOPIHAN-ACT project was to study the chemical impact of deep convection on the continental upper troposphere. A Lear Jet aircraft, based in Germany, was flown at heights between 6 and 13 km in the region 59°N–42°N to 7°W–13°E during July 2003. Overall, the convectively influenced measurements presented here show a weaker variability lifetime dependence of trace gases than similar measurements collected over the Mediterranean region under more stable high-pressure conditions. Several cases of convective outflow are identified by the elevated mixing ratios of organic species relative to quiescent background conditions, with both biogenic and anthropogenic influences detectable in the upper troposphere. Enhancement at higher altitudes, notably of species with relatively short chemical lifetimes such as benzene, toluene, and even isoprene indicates deep convection over short timescales during summertime. The impact of deep convection on the local upper tropospheric formaldehyde and HOx budgets is assessed.

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