scholarly journals Characterization of wildfire NO<sub>x</sub> emissions using MODIS fire radiative power and OMI tropospheric NO<sub>2</sub> columns

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 5839-5851 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. K. Mebust ◽  
A. R. Russell ◽  
R. C. Hudman ◽  
L. C. Valin ◽  
R. C. Cohen
Keyword(s):  
Ozone Monitoring Instrument ◽  
Fire Emissions ◽  
Active Fire ◽  
Radiative Power ◽  
Flaming Combustion ◽  
Moderate Resolution ◽  
Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer ◽  
Current Emission ◽  
Fire Radiative Power

Abstract. We use observations of fire radiative power (FRP) from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer~(MODIS) and tropospheric NO2 column measurements from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) to derive NO2 wildfire emission coefficients (g MJ−1) for three land types over California and Nevada. Retrieved emission coefficients were 0.279±0.077, 0.342±0.053, and 0.696±0.088 g MJ−1 NO2 for forest, grass and shrub fuels, respectively. These emission coefficients reproduce ratios of emissions with fuel type reported previously using independent methods. However, the magnitude of these coefficients is lower than prior estimates. While it is possible that a negative bias in the OMI NO2 retrieval over regions of active fire emissions is partly responsible, comparison with several other studies of fire emissions using satellite platforms indicates that current emission factors may overestimate the contributions of flaming combustion and underestimate the contributions of smoldering combustion to total fire emissions. Our results indicate that satellite data can provide an extensive characterization of the variability in fire NOx emissions; 67 % of the variability in emissions in this region can be accounted for using an FRP-based parameterization.

scholarly journals Characterization of wildfire NO<sub>x</sub> emissions using MODIS fire radiative power and OMI tropospheric NO<sub>2</sub> columns

2011 ◽  
Vol 11 (2) ◽  
pp. 5351-5378 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. K. Mebust ◽  
A. R. Russell ◽  
R. C. Hudman ◽  
L. C. Valin ◽  
R. C. Cohen
Keyword(s):  
Ozone Monitoring Instrument ◽  
Tropospheric No2 ◽  
Radiative Power ◽  
Moderate Resolution ◽  
Resolution Imaging ◽  
Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer ◽  
In Fire ◽  
Land Types ◽  
Fire Radiative Power

Abstract. We use observations of fire radiative power (FRP) from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and tropospheric NO2 column measurements from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) to derive NO2 wildfire emission coefficients (g MJ−1) for three land types over California and Nevada. Retrieved emission coefficients were 0.279 ± 0.077, 0.342 ± 0.053, and 0.696 ± 0.088 g MJ−1 NO2 for forest, grass and shrub fuels, respectively. These emission coefficients reproduce ratios of emissions with fuel type reported previously using independent methods. However, the magnitude of these coefficients is lower than prior estimates, which suggests either a negative bias in the OMI NO2 retrieval over regions of active emissions, or that the average fire observed in our study has a smaller ratio of flaming to smoldering combustion than measurements used in prior estimates of emissions. Our results indicate that satellite data can provide an extensive characterization of the variability in fire NOx emissions; 67% of the variability in emissions in this region can be accounted for using an FRP-based parameterization.

scholarly journals Biomass Burning in Africa: An Investigation of Fire Radiative Power Missed by MODIS Using the 375 m VIIRS Active Fire Product

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (10) ◽  
pp. 1561
Author(s):  
Fangjun Li ◽  
Xiaoyang Zhang ◽  
Shobha Kondragunta
Keyword(s):  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Infrared Imaging ◽  
Fire Detection ◽  
Quantitative Information ◽  
Continental Scale ◽  
Active Fire ◽  
Radiative Power ◽  
Moderate Resolution ◽  
Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer ◽  
Fire Radiative Power

Biomass burning plays a key role in the interaction between the atmosphere and the biosphere. The nearly two-decade-old Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) active fire product provides critical information (e.g., fire radiative power or FRP) for characterizing fires and estimating smoke emissions. Due to limitations of sensing geometry, MODIS fire detection capability degrades at off-nadir angles and the sensor misses the observation of fires occurring inside its equatorial swath gaps. This study investigates missing MODIS FRP observations using the 375 m Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) active fire data across Africa where fire occurs in the majority of vegetation-covered areas and significantly contributes to global biomass-burning emissions. We first examine the FRP relationship between the two sensors on a continental scale and in grids of seven different resolutions. We find that MODIS misses a considerable number of low-intensity fires across Africa, which results in the underestimation of daily MODIS FRP by at least 42.8% compared to VIIRS FRP. The underestimation of MODIS FRP varies largely with grid size and satellite view angle. Based on comparisons of grid-level FRP from the two sensors, adjustment models are established at seven resolutions from 0.05°–0.5° for mitigating the underestimation of MODIS grid FRP. Furthermore, the investigation of the effect of equatorial swath gaps on MODIS FRP observations reveals that swath gaps could lead to the underestimation of MODIS monthly summed FRP by 12.5%. The quantitative information of missing MODIS FRP helps to improve our understanding of potential uncertainties in the MODIS FRP based applications, especially emissions estimation.

scholarly journals Real-Time Detection of Daytime and Night-Time Fire Hotspots from Geostationary Satellites

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (9) ◽  
pp. 1627
Author(s):  
Chermelle B. Engel ◽  
Simon D. Jones ◽  
Karin J. Reinke
Keyword(s):  
Real Time ◽  
Infrared Imaging ◽  
Night Time ◽  
Clear Link ◽  
Radiative Power ◽  
Biogeographical Region ◽  
Moderate Resolution ◽  
Resolution Imaging ◽  
Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer ◽  
Fire Radiative Power

This paper introduces an enhanced version of the Biogeographical Region and Individual Geostationary HHMMSS Threshold (BRIGHT) algorithm. The algorithm runs in real-time and operates over 24 h to include both daytime and night-time detections. The algorithm was executed and tested on 12 months of Himawari-8 data from 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020, for every valid 10-min observation. The resulting hotspots were compared to those from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) and the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS). The modified BRIGHT hotspots matched with fire detections in VIIRS 96% and MODIS 95% of the time. The number of VIIRS and MODIS hotspots with matches in the coincident modified BRIGHT dataset was lower (at 33% and 46%, respectively). This paper demonstrates a clear link between the number of VIIRS and MODIS hotspots with matches and the minimum fire radiative power considered.

scholarly journals Extreme levels of Canadian wildfire smoke in the stratosphere over central Europe on 21–22 August 2017

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (16) ◽  
pp. 11831-11845 ◽  
Author(s):  
Albert Ansmann ◽  
Holger Baars ◽  
Alexandra Chudnovsky ◽  
Ina Mattis ◽  
Igor Veselovskii ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Central Europe ◽  
Volcanic Eruptions ◽  
Light Extinction ◽  
Ozone Monitoring Instrument ◽  
Wildfire Smoke ◽  
The North ◽  
Radiative Power ◽  
Peak Mass ◽  
Moderate Resolution ◽  
Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer

Abstract. Light extinction coefficients of 500 Mm−1, about 20 times higher than after the Pinatubo volcanic eruptions in 1991, were observed by European Aerosol Research Lidar Network (EARLINET) lidars in the stratosphere over central Europe on 21–22 August 2017. Pronounced smoke layers with a 1–2 km vertical extent were found 2–5 km above the local tropopause. Optically dense layers of Canadian wildfire smoke reached central Europe 10 days after their injection into the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere which was caused by rather strong pyrocumulonimbus activity over western Canada. The smoke-related aerosol optical thickness (AOT) identified by lidar was close to 1.0 at 532 nm over Leipzig during the noon hours on 22 August 2017. Smoke particles were found throughout the free troposphere (AOT of 0.3) and in the pronounced 2 km thick stratospheric smoke layer at an altitude of 14–16 km (AOT of 0.6). The lidar observations indicated peak mass concentrations of 70–100 µg m−3 in the stratosphere. In addition to the lidar profiles, we analyzed Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) fire radiative power (FRP) over Canada, and the distribution of MODIS AOT and Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) aerosol index across the North Atlantic. These instruments showed a similar pattern and a clear link between the western Canadian fires and the aerosol load over Europe. In this paper, we also present Aerosol Robotic Network (AERONET) sun photometer observations, compare photometer and lidar-derived AOT, and discuss an obvious bias (the smoke AOT is too low) in the photometer observations. Finally, we compare the strength of this record-breaking smoke event (in terms of the particle extinction coefficient and AOT) with major and moderate volcanic events observed over the northern midlatitudes.

scholarly journals Current Trend of Carbon Emissions from Wildfires in Siberia

Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 559
Author(s):  
Evgenii Ponomarev ◽  
Nikita Yakimov ◽  
Tatiana Ponomareva ◽  
Oleg Yakubailik ◽  
Susan G. Conard
Keyword(s):  
Carbon Emissions ◽  
Current Trend ◽  
Fire Season ◽  
Fire Intensity ◽  
Fire Emissions ◽  
Active Fire ◽  
Radiative Power ◽  
Annual Carbon ◽  
Global Carbon ◽  
Fire Radiative Power

Smoke from wildfires in Siberia often affects air quality over vast territories of the Northern hemisphere during the summer. Increasing fire emissions also affect regional and global carbon balance. To estimate annual carbon emissions from wildfires in Siberia from 2002–2020, we categorized levels of fire intensity for individual active fire pixels based on fire radiative power data from the standard MODIS product (MOD14/MYD14). For the last two decades, estimated annual direct carbon emissions from wildfires varied greatly, ranging from 20–220 Tg C per year. Sporadic maxima were observed in 2003 (>150 Tg C/year), in 2012 (>220 Tg C/year), in 2019 (~180 Tg C/year). However, the 2020 fire season was extraordinary in terms of fire emissions (~350 Tg C/year). The estimated average annual level of fire emissions was 80 ± 20 Tg C/year when extreme years were excluded from the analysis. For the next decade the average level of fire emissions might increase to 250 ± 30 Tg C/year for extreme fire seasons, and to 110 ± 20 Tg C/year for moderate fire seasons. However, under the extreme IPCC RPC 8.5 scenario for Siberia, wildfire emissions might increase to 1200–1500 Tg C/year by 2050 if there were no significant changes in patterns of vegetation distribution and fuel loadings.

scholarly journals Space-based observations of fire NO<sub>x</sub> emission coefficients: a global biome-scale comparison

2013 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 21665-21702 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. K. Mebust ◽  
R. C. Cohen
Keyword(s):  
Regional Scale ◽  
Combustion Efficiency ◽  
Fuel Type ◽  
Ozone Monitoring Instrument ◽  
Fire Emissions ◽  
Global Emission ◽  
Unit Energy ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Radiative Power ◽  
Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer

Abstract. Biomass burning represents both a significant and highly variable source of NOx to the atmosphere. This variability stems from both the episodic nature of fires, and from fire conditions such as the modified combustion efficiency of the fire, the nitrogen content of the fuel and possibly other factors that have not been identified or evaluated by comparison with observations. Satellite instruments offer an opportunity to observe emissions from wildfires, providing a large suite of measurements which allow us to study mean behavior and variability on the regional scale in a statistically rigorous manner. Here we use space-based measurements of fire radiative power from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer in combination with NO2 tropospheric column densities from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument to measure mean emission coefficients (ECs in g NO MJ−1) from fires for global biomes, and across a wide range of smaller-scale ecoregions, defined as spatially-distinct clusters of fires with similar fuel type. Mean ECs for all biomes fall between 0.250–0.362 g NO MJ−1, a range that is smaller than found in previous studies of biome-scale emission factors. The majority of ecoregion ECs fall within or near this range, implying that under most conditions, mean fire emissions per unit energy are similar between different regions regardless of fuel type or spatial variability. In contrast to these similarities, we find that about 24% of individual ecoregion ECs deviate significantly (p < 0.05) from the mean EC for the associated biome, and a similar number of ecoregion ECs falls outside this range, implying that there are some regions where fuel type-specific global emission parameterizations fail to capture local fire NOx emissions.

scholarly journals Fire Detection and Fire Radiative Power in Forests and Low-Biomass Lands in Northeast Asia: MODIS versus VIIRS Fire Products

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (18) ◽  
pp. 2870
Author(s):  
Yuyun Fu ◽  
Rui Li ◽  
Xuewen Wang ◽  
Yves Bergeron ◽  
Osvaldo Valeria ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Infrared Imaging ◽  
Northeast Asia ◽  
Fire Detection ◽  
Fire Regimes ◽  
Burned Area ◽  
Commission Errors ◽  
Fire Emissions ◽  
Radiative Power ◽  
Moderate Resolution ◽  
Fire Radiative Power

Fire omission and commission errors, and the accuracy of fire radiative power (FRP) from satellite moderate-resolution impede the studies on fire regimes and FRP-based fire emissions estimation. In this study, we compared the accuracy between the extensively used 1-km fire product of MYD14 from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and the 375-m fire product of VNP14IMG from the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) in Northeastern Asia using data from 2012–2017. We extracted almost simultaneous observation of fire detection and FRP from MODIS-VIIRS overlapping orbits from the two fire products, and identified and removed duplicate fire detections and corresponding FRP in each fire product. We then compared the performance of the two products between forests and low-biomass lands (croplands, grasslands, and herbaceous vegetation). Among fire pixels detected by VIIRS, 65% and 83% were missed by MODIS in forests and low-biomass lands, respectively; whereas associated omission rates by VIIRS for MODIS fire pixels were 35% and 53%, respectively. Commission errors of the two fire products, based on the annual mean measurements of burned area by Landsat, decreased with increasing FRP per fire pixel, and were higher in low-biomass lands than those in forests. Monthly total FRP from MODIS was considerably lower than that from VIIRS due to more fire omission by MODIS, particularly in low-biomass lands. However, for fires concurrently detected by both sensors, total FRP was lower with VIIRS than with MODIS. This study contributes to a better understanding of fire detection and FRP retrieval performance between MODIS and its successor VIIRS, providing valuable information for using those data in the study of fire regimes and FRP-based fire emission estimation.

scholarly journals Global top-down smoke-aerosol emissions estimation using satellite fire radiative power measurements

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (13) ◽  
pp. 6643-6667 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Ichoku ◽  
L. Ellison
Keyword(s):  
Particulate Matter ◽  
Top Down ◽  
Total Particulate Matter ◽  
Fire Emissions ◽  
Radiative Power ◽  
Moderate Resolution ◽  
Resolution Imaging ◽  
Power Measurements ◽  
Aerosol Emissions ◽  
Fire Radiative Power

Abstract. Fire emissions estimates have long been based on bottom-up approaches that are not only complex, but also fraught with compounding uncertainties. We present the development of a global gridded (1° × 1°) emission coefficients (Ce) product for smoke total particulate matter (TPM) based on a top-down approach using coincident measurements of fire radiative power (FRP) and aerosol optical thickness (AOT) from the Moderate-resolution Imaging Spectro-radiometer (MODIS) sensors aboard the Terra and Aqua satellites. This new Fire Energetics and Emissions Research version 1.0 (FEER.v1) Ce product has now been released to the community and can be obtained from

Inter-comparison of four operational satellite Fire Radiative Power (FRP) products: A spatial and temporal consistency assessment.

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bernardo Mota ◽  
Nadine Gobron ◽  
Martin Wooster
Keyword(s):  
Grid Cell ◽  
Fire Effects ◽  
Temporal Consistency ◽  
Fire Cycle ◽  
Infrared Imager ◽  
Radiative Power ◽  
Moderate Resolution ◽  
Resolution Imaging ◽  
Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer ◽  
Fire Radiative Power

&lt;p&gt; We inter-compare four remotely sensed Fire Radiative Power (FRP) products, the polar-orbiter products derived from active fires detected using the &lt;span&gt;Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer data &lt;/span&gt;(MCD14ML) and VIIRS (VNP14ML and VNP14IMGML), and geostationary products derived from data collected by Meteosat&amp;#8217;s &lt;span&gt;Spinning Enhanced Visible and Infrared Imager (the LSA-SAF FRP-PIXEL product). We focus on seven years of data (January 2012 to December 2018), and &lt;/span&gt;using the ability of the geostationary product to capture the daily fire cycle we quantify for each polar-orbiter FRP product the proportion of daily fire energy release that they capture and that which they miss, and also identify the areas where their overpass times successfully capture the diurnal fire activity peak, and where they do not. In addition, by analysing &lt;span&gt;frequency density (f-D) distributions of FRP at a 0.5&amp;#176; grid cell resolution we evaluate &lt;/span&gt;each products minimum FRP detection limit, which typically precludes detection of a proportion of the highly numerous but individually relatively small and/or low intensity fires.&lt;span&gt; R&lt;/span&gt;&lt;span&gt;esults are summarized by biome type based on the ESA CCI Land Cover product. &lt;/span&gt;Our inter-comparison allows for the identification and quantification of some of the key non-fire effects causing FRP underestimation in satellite FRP products: pixel size, pixel area growth off-nadir, and the low temporal resolution of polar-orbiting sensors. Our results and the methodology developed herein should serve to evaluate and cross-calibrate FRP estimates obtained by the future Copernicus Climate Change Services (C3S) FRP products, which initially at least will be based only on SLSTR data collected by the Sentinel-3 satellite.&lt;/p&gt;

scholarly journals The impacts of recent drought on fire, forest loss, and regional smoke emissions in lowland Bolivia

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (14) ◽  
pp. 4317-4331 ◽  
Author(s):  
Joshua P. Heyer ◽  
Mitchell J. Power ◽  
Robert D. Field ◽  
Margreet J. E. van Marle
Keyword(s):  
Human Activities ◽  
Global Climate ◽  
Forest Loss ◽  
Fire Emissions ◽  
Active Fire ◽  
Land Cover Data ◽  
Moderate Resolution ◽  
Resolution Imaging ◽  
Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer ◽  
Southwestern Amazonia

Abstract. In the southern Amazon relationships have been established among drought, human activities that cause forest loss, fire, and smoke emissions. We explore the impacts of recent drought on fire, forest loss, and atmospheric visibility in lowland Bolivia. To assess human influence on fire, we consider climate, fire, and vegetation dynamics in an area largely excluded from human activities since 1979, Noel Kempff Mercado National Park (NK) in northeastern Bolivia. We use data from five sources: the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer Collection 6 active fire product (2001–2015) (MODIS C6), Global Fire WEather Database (GFWED) data (1982–2015), MODIS land cover data (2001–2010), MODIS forest loss data (2000–2012), and the regional extinction coefficient for the southwestern Amazon (i.e., Bext), which is derived from horizontal visibility data from surface stations at the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) level (1973–2015). The Bext is affected by smoke and acts as a proxy for visibility and regional fire emissions. In lowland Bolivia from 2001 to 2015, interannual Drought Code (DC) variability was linked to fire activity, while from 1982 to 2015, interannual DC variability was linked to Bext. From 2001 to 2015, the Bext and MODIS C6 active fire data for lowland Bolivia captured fire seasonality, and covaried between low- and high-fire years. Consistent with previous studies, our results suggest Bext can be used as a longer-term proxy of regional fire emissions in southwestern Amazonia. Overall, our study found drought conditions were the dominant control on interannual fire variability in lowland Bolivia, and fires within NK were limited to the Cerrado and seasonally inundated wetland biomes. Our results suggest lowland Bolivian tropical forests were susceptible to human activities that may have amplified fire during drought. Human activities and drought need to be considered in future projections of southern Amazonian fire, in regard to carbon emissions and global climate.

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