scholarly journals Particulate emissions from large North American wildfires estimated using a new top-down method

2017 ◽  
Vol 17 (10) ◽  
pp. 6423-6438 ◽  
Author(s):  
Tadas Nikonovas ◽  
Peter R. J. North ◽  
Stefan H. Doerr

Abstract. Particulate matter emissions from wildfires affect climate, weather and air quality. However, existing global and regional aerosol emission estimates differ by a factor of up to 4 between different methods. Using a novel approach, we estimate daily total particulate matter (TPM) emissions from large wildfires in North American boreal and temperate regions. Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) fire location and aerosol optical thickness (AOT) data sets are coupled with HYSPLIT (Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory) atmospheric dispersion simulations, attributing identified smoke plumes to sources. Unlike previous approaches, the method (i) combines information from both satellite and AERONET (AErosol RObotic NETwork) observations to take into account aerosol water uptake and plume specific mass extinction efficiency when converting smoke AOT to TPM, and (ii) does not depend on instantaneous emission rates observed during individual satellite overpasses, which do not sample night-time emissions. The method also allows multiple independent estimates for the same emission period from imagery taken on consecutive days. Repeated fire-emitted AOT estimates for the same emission period over 2 to 3 days of plume evolution show increases in plume optical thickness by approximately 10 % for boreal events and by 40 % for temperate emissions. Inferred median water volume fractions for aged boreal and temperate smoke observations are 0.15 and 0.47 respectively, indicating that the increased AOT is partly explained by aerosol water uptake. TPM emission estimates for boreal events, which predominantly burn during daytime, agree closely with bottom-up Global Fire Emission Database (GFEDv4) and Global Fire Assimilation System (GFASv1.0) inventories, but are lower by approximately 30 % compared to Quick Fire Emission Dataset (QFEDv2) PM2. 5, and are higher by approximately a factor of 2 compared to Fire Energetics and Emissions Research (FEERv1) TPM estimates. The discrepancies are larger for temperate fires, which are characterized by lower median fire radiative power values and more significant night-time combustion. The TPM estimates for this study for the biome are lower than QFED PM2. 5 by 35 %, and are larger by factors of 2.4, 3.2 and 4 compared with FEER, GFED and GFAS inventories respectively. A large underestimation of TPM emission by bottom-up GFED and GFAS indicates low biases in emission factors or consumed biomass estimates for temperate fires.

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. Nikonovas ◽  
P. R. J. North ◽  
S. H. Doerr

Abstract. Particulate matter emissions from wildfires affect climate, weather and air quality. However, existing global and regional aerosol emission estimates differ by a factor of up to 4 between different methods. Using a novel approach, we estimate daily total particular matter (TPM) emissions from large wildfires in North American boreal and temper ate regions. Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) fire location and aerosol optical thickness (AOT) datasets are coupled with HYSPLIT atmospheric dispersion simulations, attributing identified smoke plumes to sources. Unlike previous approaches, the method (i) combines information from both satellite and AERONET observations to take into account aerosol water uptake and plume specific mass extinction efficiency in converting smoke AOT to TPM, and (ii) does not depend on instantaneous emission rates observed during individual satellite overpasses, which do not sample night-time emissions. The method also allows multiple independent estimates for the same emission period from imagery taken on consecutive days. Repeated fire-emitted AOT estimates for the same emission period over two to three days of plume evolution show increases in plume optical thickness by approximately 10 % for boreal events, and by 40 % for temperate emissions. Inferred median water volume fractions for aged boreal and temperate smoke observations are 0.15 and 0.47 respectively, indicating that the increased AOT is partly explained by aerosol water uptake. TPM emission estimates for boreal events, which predominantly burn during daytime, agree closely with bottom-up Global Fire Emission Database (GFEDv4) and Global Fire Assimilation System (GFASv1.0) inventories, but are lower by approximately 30 % compared to Quick Fire Emission Dataset (QFEDv2) PM2.5, and are higher by approximately a factor of 2 compared to Fire Energetics and Emissions Research (FEERv1) TPM estimates. The discrepancies are larger for temperate fires, which are characterised by lower median FRP values and more significant night-time combustion. The TPM estimates for this study for the biome are lower than QFED PM2.5 by 35 %, and are larger by factors of 2.4, 3.2 and 4 compared with FEER, GFED and GFAS inventories respectively. Large underestimation of TPM emission by bottom-up GFED and GFAS indicates low biases in emission factors or consumed biomass estimates for temperate fires.


Author(s):  
R. A. Crellin ◽  
G. O. Brooks ◽  
H. G. Horsewell

AbstractA ventilating filter for cigarettes has been developed which reduces the delivery of smoke constituents from the final two to three puffs. Since the normaI delivery for these three puffs can account for up to half the total particulate matter and nicotine delivered by the whole cigarette, usefuI reductions per cigarette can be produced. The ventilating filter consists of cellulose acetate tow wrapped in heat-shrinkable film and attached to a tobacco rod using perforated tipping paper. When the cigarette is smoked, the perforations remain closed by contact with the impermeable film until transfer of heat to the filter is sufficient to soften the filter tow and shrink the film. Ventilating air now enters the cigarette and reduces the smoke deliveries. The effectiveness of the ventilating filter is increased by using films which have a low shrink temperature, high shrink tension and a high degree of biaxiaI shrinkage. Increases in filter plasticiser level, tipping perforation area and puff volume improve the effectiveness of the ventilating filter but increases in cigarette paper porosity and tobacco butt length reduce the effectiveness


Atmosphere ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 449
Author(s):  
Lili Li ◽  
Kun Wang ◽  
Zhijian Sun ◽  
Weiye Wang ◽  
Qingliang Zhao ◽  
...  

Road dust is one of the primary sources of particulate matter which has implications for air quality, climate and health. With the aim of characterizing the emissions, in this study, a bottom-up approach of county level emission inventory from paved road dust based on field investigation was developed. An inventory of high-resolution paved road dust (PRD) emissions by monthly and spatial allocation at 1 km × 1 km resolution in Harbin in 2016 was compiled using accessible county level, seasonal data and local parameters based on field investigation to increase temporal-spatial resolution. The results demonstrated the total PRD emissions of TSP, PM10, and PM2.5 in Harbin were 270,207 t, 54,597 t, 14,059 t, respectively. The temporal variation trends of pollutant emissions from PRD was consistent with the characteristics of precipitation, with lower emissions in winter and summer, and higher emissions in spring and autumn. The spatial allocation of emissions has a strong association with Harbin’s road network, mainly concentrating in the central urban area compared to the surrounding counties. Through scenario analysis, positive control measures were essential and effective for PRD pollution. The inventory developed in this study reflected the level of fugitive dust on paved road in Harbin, and it could reduce particulate matter pollution with the development of mitigation strategies and could comply with air quality modelling requirements, especially in the frigid region of northeastern China.


2007 ◽  
Vol 7 (19) ◽  
pp. 5061-5079 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Lauer ◽  
V. Eyring ◽  
J. Hendricks ◽  
P. Jöckel ◽  
U. Lohmann

Abstract. International shipping contributes significantly to the fuel consumption of all transport related activities. Specific emissions of pollutants such as sulfur dioxide (SO2) per kg of fuel emitted are higher than for road transport or aviation. Besides gaseous pollutants, ships also emit various types of particulate matter. The aerosol impacts the Earth's radiation budget directly by scattering and absorbing the solar and thermal radiation and indirectly by changing cloud properties. Here we use ECHAM5/MESSy1-MADE, a global climate model with detailed aerosol and cloud microphysics to study the climate impacts of international shipping. The simulations show that emissions from ships significantly increase the cloud droplet number concentration of low marine water clouds by up to 5% to 30% depending on the ship emission inventory and the geographic region. Whereas the cloud liquid water content remains nearly unchanged in these simulations, effective radii of cloud droplets decrease, leading to cloud optical thickness increase of up to 5–10%. The sensitivity of the results is estimated by using three different emission inventories for present-day conditions. The sensitivity analysis reveals that shipping contributes to 2.3% to 3.6% of the total sulfate burden and 0.4% to 1.4% to the total black carbon burden in the year 2000 on the global mean. In addition to changes in aerosol chemical composition, shipping increases the aerosol number concentration, e.g. up to 25% in the size range of the accumulation mode (typically >0.1 μm) over the Atlantic. The total aerosol optical thickness over the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico and the Northeastern Pacific increases by up to 8–10% depending on the emission inventory. Changes in aerosol optical thickness caused by shipping induced modification of aerosol particle number concentration and chemical composition lead to a change in the shortwave radiation budget at the top of the atmosphere (ToA) under clear-sky condition of about −0.014 W/m² to −0.038 W/m² for a global annual average. The corresponding all-sky direct aerosol forcing ranges between −0.011 W/m² and −0.013 W/m². The indirect aerosol effect of ships on climate is found to be far larger than previously estimated. An indirect radiative effect of −0.19 W/m² to −0.60 W/m² (a change in the atmospheric shortwave radiative flux at ToA) is calculated here, contributing 17% to 39% of the total indirect effect of anthropogenic aerosols. This contribution is high because ship emissions are released in regions with frequent low marine clouds in an otherwise clean environment. In addition, the potential impact of particulate matter on the radiation budget is larger over the dark ocean surface than over polluted regions over land.


PLoS ONE ◽  
2016 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. e0156613 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas M. Neophytou ◽  
Elizabeth M. Noth ◽  
Sa Liu ◽  
Sadie Costello ◽  
S. Katharine Hammond ◽  
...  

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Sophie L. Haslett ◽  
J. Chris Thomas ◽  
William T. Morgan ◽  
Rory Hadden ◽  
Dantong Liu ◽  
...  

Abstract. Particulate emissions from biomass burning can both alter the atmosphere's radiative balance and cause significant harm to human health. However, due to the large effect on emissions caused by even small alterations to the way in which a fuel burns, it is difficult to study particulate production of biomass combustion mechanistically and in a repeatable manner. In order to address this gap, in this study, small wood samples sourced from Côte D'Ivoire in West Africa were burned in a highly-controlled laboratory environment. The shape and mass of samples, available airflow and surrounding thermal environment were carefully regulated. Organic aerosol and refractory black carbon emissions were measured in real time using an Aerosol Mass Spectrometer and a Single Particle Soot Photometer, respectively. This methodology produced remarkably repeatable results, allowing aerosol emissions to be mapped directly onto different phases of combustion. Emissions from pyrolysis were visible as a distinct phase before flaming was established. After flaming combustion was initiated, a black-carbon-dominant flame was observed during which very little organic aerosol was produced, followed by a period that was dominated by organic-carbon-producing smouldering combustion, despite the presence of residual flaming. During pyrolysis and smouldering, the two phases producing organic aerosol, distinct mass spectral signatures that correspond to previously-reported variations in biofuel emissions measured in the atmosphere are found. Organic aerosol emission factors averaged over an entire combustion event were found to be representative of the time spent in the pyrolysis and smouldering phases, rather than reflecting a coupling between emissions and the mass loss of the sample. Further exploration of aerosol yields from similarly carefully controlled fires and a careful comparison with data from macroscopic fires and real-world emissions will help to deliver greater constraints on variability of particulate emissions in atmospheric systems.


Author(s):  
Steven L. Alderman ◽  
Chen Song ◽  
Serban C. Moldoveanu ◽  
Stephen K. Cole

AbstractThe relatively volatile nature of the particulate matter fraction of e-cigarette aerosols presents an experimental challenge with regard to particle size distribution measure-ments. This is particularly true for instruments requiring a high degree of aerosol dilution. This was illustrated in a previous study, where average particle diameters in the 10-50 nm range were determined by a high-dilution, electrical mobility method. Total particulate matter (TPM) masses calculated based on those diameters were orders of magnitude smaller than gravimetrically determined TPM. This discrepancy was believed to result from almost complete particle evaporation at the dilution levels of the electrical mobility analysis. The same study described a spectral transmission measurement of e-cigarette particle size in an undiluted state, and reported particles from 210-380 nm count median diameter. Observed particle number concentrations were in the 10Described here is a study in which e-cigarette aerosols were collected on Cambridge filters with adsorbent traps placed downstream in an effort to capture any material passing through the filter. Amounts of glycerin, propylene glycol, nicotine, and water were quantified on the filter and downstream trap. Glycerin, propylene glycol, and nicotine were effciently captured (> 98%) by the upstream Cambridge filter, and a correlation was observed between filtration efficiency and the partial vapor pressure of each component. The present analysis was largely inconclusive with regard to filter efficiency and particle-vapor partitioning of water. [Beitr. Tabakforsch. Int. 26 (2014) 183-190]


2009 ◽  
Vol 06 (12) ◽  
pp. 7-14
Author(s):  
Josiane LOYOLA ◽  
Simone Lorena QUITERIO ◽  
Viviane ESCALEIRA ◽  
Graciela ARBILLA

The petroleum industry has difficulties to assess the trace metal content in liquid fuels. In this work, it is proposed to solve this problem determining these metals by collecting particulate matter atmospheric samples and analysing their metal content. Samples of total particulate matter and of inhalable particles (PM10) were collected in a bus station in the period August 2006-February 2007. The only significant emission source in that location are the buses, fueled by diesel, since light duty vehicles account for about 1-2% of the total vehicular flux and no other activities are developed in the area. Metal levels were determined by ICP-OES (Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectroscopy). Ca, Mg, Fe and Al were the most abundant compounds, and account for about 50.1%, 24.2%, 6.5% and 18.7%, respectively, of the metal contain. Co, Ni, Cd, Cr and Pb were under their detection limits, except for a few samples. Ca, Mg, Zn and Cu were determined in higher ratios that those currently find in crustal materials indicating that these elements may have important combustion sources and are enriched in the soil.


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