scholarly journals Interannual variability of global biomass burning emissions from 1997 to 2004

2006 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 3175-3226 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. R. van der Werf ◽  
J. T. Randerson ◽  
L. Giglio ◽  
G. J. Collatz ◽  
P. S. Kasibhatla ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Interannual Variability ◽  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Satellite Data ◽  
Net Primary Production ◽  
Terrestrial Ecosystems ◽  
Total Carbon ◽  
Burned Area ◽  
Biogeochemical Model ◽  
Fuel Wood ◽  
Fire Emissions

Abstract. Biomass burning represents an important source of atmospheric aerosols and greenhouse gases, yet little is known about its interannual variability or the underlying mechanisms regulating this variability at continental to global scales. Here we investigated fire emissions during the 8 year period from 1997 to 2004 using satellite data and the CASA biogeochemical model. Burned area from 2001–2004 was derived using newly available active fire and 500 m burned area datasets from MODIS following the approach described by Giglio et al. (2005). ATSR and VIRS satellite data were used to extend the burned area time series back in time through 1997. In our analysis we estimated fuel loads, including peatland fuels, and the net flux from terrestrial ecosystems as the balance between net primary production (NPP), heterotrophic respiration (Rh), and biomass burning, using time varying inputs of precipitation (PPT), temperature, solar radiation, and satellite-derived fractional absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (fAPAR). For the 1997–2004 period, we found that on average approximately 58 Pg C year−1 was fixed by plants, and approximately 95% of this was returned back to the atmosphere via Rh. Another 4%, or 2.5 Pg C year−1 was emitted by biomass burning; the remainder consisted of losses from fuel wood collection and subsequent burning. At a global scale, burned area and total fire emissions were largely decoupled from year to year. Total carbon emissions tracked burning in forested areas (including deforestation fires in the tropics), whereas burned area was largely controlled by savanna fires that responded to different environmental and human factors. Biomass burning emissions showed large interannual variability with a range of more than 1 Pg C year−1, with a maximum in 1998 (3.2 Pg C year−1) and a minimum in 2000 (2.0 Pg C year−1).

scholarly journals Interannual variability in global biomass burning emissions from 1997 to 2004

2006 ◽  
Vol 6 (11) ◽  
pp. 3423-3441 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. R. van der Werf ◽  
J. T. Randerson ◽  
L. Giglio ◽  
G. J. Collatz ◽  
P. S. Kasibhatla ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Interannual Variability ◽  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Satellite Data ◽  
Net Primary Production ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Total Carbon ◽  
Burned Area ◽  
Biogeochemical Model ◽  
Fuel Wood ◽  
Fire Emissions

Abstract. Biomass burning represents an important source of atmospheric aerosols and greenhouse gases, yet little is known about its interannual variability or the underlying mechanisms regulating this variability at continental to global scales. Here we investigated fire emissions during the 8 year period from 1997 to 2004 using satellite data and the CASA biogeochemical model. Burned area from 2001–2004 was derived using newly available active fire and 500 m. burned area datasets from MODIS following the approach described by Giglio et al. (2006). ATSR and VIRS satellite data were used to extend the burned area time series back in time through 1997. In our analysis we estimated fuel loads, including organic soil layer and peatland fuels, and the net flux from terrestrial ecosystems as the balance between net primary production (NPP), heterotrophic respiration (Rh), and biomass burning, using time varying inputs of precipitation (PPT), temperature, solar radiation, and satellite-derived fractional absorbed photosynthetically active radiation (fAPAR). For the 1997–2004 period, we found that on average approximately 58 Pg C year−1 was fixed by plants as NPP, and approximately 95% of this was returned back to the atmosphere via Rh. Another 4%, or 2.5 Pg C year−1 was emitted by biomass burning; the remainder consisted of losses from fuel wood collection and subsequent burning. At a global scale, burned area and total fire emissions were largely decoupled from year to year. Total carbon emissions tracked burning in forested areas (including deforestation fires in the tropics), whereas burned area was largely controlled by savanna fires that responded to different environmental and human factors. Biomass burning emissions showed large interannual variability with a range of more than 1 Pg C year−1, with a maximum in 1998 (3.2 Pg C year−1) and a minimum in 2000 (2.0 Pg C year−1).

scholarly journals On the use of ATSR fire count data to estimate the seasonal and interannual variability of vegetation fire emissions

2002 ◽  
Vol 2 (4) ◽  
pp. 1159-1179 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. G. Schultz
Keyword(s):  
Interannual Variability ◽  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Seasonal Pattern ◽  
Burned Area ◽  
Time Resolved ◽  
Fire Emissions ◽  
Seasonal And Interannual Variability ◽  
Active Fire ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Along Track

Abstract. Biomass burning has long been recognised as an important source of trace gases and aerosols in the atmosphere. The burning of vegetation has a repeating seasonal pattern, but the intensity of burning and the exact localisation of fires vary considerably from year to year. Recent studies have demonstrated the high interannual variability of the emissions that are associated with biomass burning. In this paper we present a methodology using active fire counts from the Along-Track Scanning Radiometer (ATSR) sensor on board the ERS-2 satellite to estimate the seasonal and interannual variability of global biomass burning emissions in the time period 1996--2000. From the ATSR data, we compute relative scaling factors of burning intensity for each month, which are then applied to a standard inventory for carbon monoxide emissions from biomass burning. The new, time-resolved inventory is evaluated using the few existing multi-year burned area observations on continental scales.

scholarly journals Monitoring emissions from the 2015 Indonesian fires using CO satellite data

2018 ◽  
Vol 373 (1760) ◽  
pp. 20170307 ◽  
Author(s):  
Narcisa Nechita-Banda ◽  
Maarten Krol ◽  
Guido R. van der Werf ◽  
Johannes W. Kaiser ◽  
Sudhanshu Pandey ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Satellite Data ◽  
El Niño ◽  
El Nino ◽  
Air Pollutant ◽  
Satellite Observations ◽  
Total Carbon ◽  
Atmospheric Composition ◽  
Burned Area ◽  
Fire Emissions ◽  
The Impact

Southeast Asia, in particular Indonesia, has periodically struggled with intense fire events. These events convert substantial amounts of carbon stored as peat to atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and significantly affect atmospheric composition on a regional to global scale. During the recent 2015 El Niño event, peat fires led to strong enhancements of carbon monoxide (CO), an air pollutant and well-known tracer for biomass burning. These enhancements were clearly observed from space by the Infrared Atmospheric Sounding Interferometer (IASI) and the Measurements of Pollution in the Troposphere (MOPITT) instruments. We use these satellite observations to estimate CO fire emissions within an inverse modelling framework. We find that the derived CO emissions for each sub-region of Indonesia and Papua are substantially different from emission inventories, highlighting uncertainties in bottom-up estimates. CO fire emissions based on either MOPITT or IASI have a similar spatial pattern and evolution in time, and a 10% uncertainty based on a set of sensitivity tests we performed. Thus, CO satellite data have a high potential to complement existing operational fire emission estimates based on satellite observations of fire counts, fire radiative power and burned area, in better constraining fire occurrence and the associated conversion of peat carbon to atmospheric CO 2 . A total carbon release to the atmosphere of 0.35–0.60 Pg C can be estimated based on our results. This article is part of a discussion meeting issue ‘The impact of the 2015/2016 El Niño on the terrestrial tropical carbon cycle: patterns, mechanisms and implications'.

scholarly journals On the use of ATSR fire count data to estimate the seasonal and interannual variability of vegetation fire emissions

2002 ◽  
Vol 2 (5) ◽  
pp. 387-395 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. G. Schultz
Keyword(s):  
Interannual Variability ◽  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Seasonal Pattern ◽  
Burned Area ◽  
Time Resolved ◽  
Fire Emissions ◽  
Seasonal And Interannual Variability ◽  
Active Fire ◽  
Time Period ◽  
Along Track

Abstract. Biomass burning has long been recognised as an important source of trace gases and aerosols in the atmosphere. The burning of vegetation has a repeating seasonal pattern, but the intensity of burning and the exact localisation of fires vary considerably from year to year. Recent studies have demonstrated the high interannual variability of the emissions that are associated with biomass burning. In this paper I present a methodology using active fire counts from the Along-Track Scanning Radiometer (ATSR) sensor on board the ERS-2 satellite to estimate the seasonal and interannual variability of global biomass burning emissions in the time period 1996--2000. From the ATSR data, I compute relative scaling factors of burning intensity for each month, which are then applied to a standard inventory for carbon monoxide emissions from biomass burning. The new, time-resolved inventory is evaluated using the few existing multi-year burned area observations on continental scales.

scholarly journals Towards multi-tracer data-assimilation: biomass burning and carbon isotope exchange in SiBCASA

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 107-149 ◽  
Author(s):  
I. R. van der Velde ◽  
J. B. Miller ◽  
K. Schaefer ◽  
G. R. van der Werf ◽  
M. C. Krol ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Data Assimilation ◽  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Isotope Exchange ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Burned Area ◽  
Biogeochemical Model ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Fire Emissions ◽  
Data Assimilation System ◽  
Global Mean

Abstract. We present an enhanced version of the SiBCASA photosynthetic/biogeochemical model for a future integration with a multi-tracer data-assimilation system. We extended the model with (a) biomass burning emissions from the SiBCASA carbon pools using remotely sensed burned area from Global Fire Emissions Database (GFED) version 3.1, (b) a new set of 13C pools that cycle consistently through the biosphere, and (c), a modified isotopic discrimination scheme to estimate variations in 13C exchange as a~response to stomatal conductance. Previous studies suggest that the observed variations of atmospheric 13C/12C are driven by processes specifically in the terrestrial biosphere rather than in the oceans. Therefore, we quantify in this study the terrestrial exchange of CO2 and 13CO2 as a function of environmental changes in humidity and biomass burning. Based on an assessment of observed respiration signatures we conclude that SiBCASA does well in simulating global to regional plant discrimination. The global mean discrimination value is 15.2‰, and ranges between 4 and 20‰ depending on the regional plant phenology. The biomass burning emissions (annually and seasonally) compare favorably to other published values. However, the observed short-term changes in discrimination and the respiration 13C signature are more difficult to capture. We see a too weak drought response in SiBCASA and too slow return of anomalies in respiration. We demonstrate possible ways to improve this, and discuss the implications for our current capacity to interpret atmospheric 13C observations.

scholarly journals Estimates of biomass burning emissions in tropical Asia based on satellite-derived data

2010 ◽  
Vol 10 (5) ◽  
pp. 2335-2351 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. Chang ◽  
Y. Song
Keyword(s):  
Biomass Burning ◽  
Atmospheric Chemistry ◽  
Crop Residue ◽  
Fire Season ◽  
Burned Area ◽  
Published Data ◽  
Tropical Asia ◽  
Fire Emissions ◽  
Burned Areas ◽  
In Fire

Abstract. Biomass burning in tropical Asia emits large amounts of trace gases and particulate matter into the atmosphere, which has significant implications for atmospheric chemistry and climatic change. In this study, emissions from open biomass burning over tropical Asia were evaluated during seven fire years from 2000 to 2006 (1 March 2000–31 February 2007). The size of the burned areas was estimated from newly published 1-km L3JRC and 500-m MODIS burned area products (MCD45A1). Available fuel loads and emission factors were assigned to each vegetation type in a GlobCover characterisation map, and fuel moisture content was taken into account when calculating combustion factors. Over the whole period, both burned areas and fire emissions showed clear spatial and seasonal variations. The size of the L3JRC burned areas ranged from 36 031 km2 in fire year 2005 to 52 303 km2 in 2001, and the MCD45A1 burned areas ranged from 54 790 km2 in fire year 2001 to 148 967 km2 in 2004. Comparisons of L3JRC and MCD45A1 burned areas using ground-based measurements and other satellite data were made in several major burning regions, and the results suggest that MCD45A1 generally performed better than L3JRC, although with a certain degree of underestimation in forest areas. The average annual L3JRC-based emissions were 123 (102–152), 12 (9–15), 1.0 (0.7–1.3), 1.9 (1.4–2.6), 0.11 (0.09–0.12), 0.89 (0.63–1.21), 0.043 (0.036–0.053), 0.021 (0.021–0.023), 0.41 (0.34–0.52), 3.4 (2.6–4.3), and 3.6 (2.8–4.7) Tg yr−1 for CO2, CO, CH4, NMHCs, NOx, NH3, SO2, BC, OC, PM2.5, and PM10, respectively, whereas MCD45A1-based emissions were 122 (108–144), 9.3 (7.7–11.7), 0.63 (0.46–0.86), 1.1 (0.8–1.6), 0.11 (0.10–0.13), 0.54 (0.38–0.76), 0.043 (0.038–0.051), 0.033 (0.032–0.037), 0.39 (0.34–0.47), 3.0 (2.6–3.7), and 3.3 (2.8–4.0) Tg yr−1. Forest burning was identified as the major source of the fire emissions due to its high carbon density. Although agricultural burning was the second highest contributor, it is possible that some crop residue combustion was missed by satellite observations. This possibility is supported by comparisons with previously published data, and this result may be due to the small size of the field crop residue burning. Fire emissions were mainly concentrated in Indonesia, India, Myanmar, and Cambodia. Furthermore, the peak in the size of the burned area was generally found in the early fire season, whereas the maximum fire emissions often occurred in the late fire season.

scholarly journals Global fire emissions estimates during 1997–2015

2017 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guido R. van der Werf ◽  
James T. Randerson ◽  
Louis Giglio ◽  
Thijs T. van Leeuwen ◽  
Yang Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Fuel Consumption ◽  
Fire Severity ◽  
Emission Factors ◽  
Trace Gas ◽  
Burned Area ◽  
Biogeochemical Model ◽  
Fire Dynamics ◽  
Fire Emissions ◽  
Aerosol Emissions

Abstract. Climate, land use, and other anthropogenic and natural drivers have the potential to influence fire dynamics in many regions. To develop a mechanistic understanding of the changing role of these drivers and their impact on atmospheric composition, long term fire records are needed that fuse information from different satellite and in-situ data streams. Here we describe the fourth version of the Global Fire Emissions Database (GFED) and quantify global fire emissions patterns during 1997–2015. The modeling system, based on the Carnegie-Ames-Stanford-Approach (CASA) biogeochemical model, has several modifications from the previous version and uses higher quality input datasets. Significant upgrades include: 1) new burned area estimates with contributions from small fires, 2) a revised fuel consumption parameterization optimized using field observations, 3) modifications that improve the representation of fuel consumption in frequently burning landscapes, and 4) fire severity estimates that better represent continental differences in burning processes across boreal regions of North America and Eurasia. The new version has a higher spatial resolution (0.25°) and uses a different set of emission factors that separately resolves trace gas and aerosol emissions from temperate and boreal forest ecosystems. Global mean carbon emissions using the burned area dataset with small fires (GFED4s) were 2.2 x 1015 grams carbon per year (Pg C yr-1) during 1997–2015, with a maximum in 1997 (3.0 Pg C yr-1) and minimum in 2013 (1.8 Pg C yr-1). These estimates were 11 % higher than our previous estimates (GFED3) during 1997–2011, when the two datasets overlapped. This increase was the result of a substantial increase in burned area (37 %), mostly due to the inclusion of small fires, and a modest decrease in mean fuel consumption (–19 %) to better match estimates from field studies, primarily in savannas and grasslands. For trace gas and aerosol emissions, differences between GFED4s and GFED3 were often larger due to the use of revised emission factors. If small fire burned area was excluded (GFED4 without the "s" for small fires), average emissions were 1.5 Pg C yr-1. The addition of small fires had the largest impact on emissions in temperate North America, Central America, Europe, and temperate Asia. Our improved dataset provides an internally consistent set of burned area and emissions that may contribute to a better understanding of multi-decadal changes in fire dynamics and their impact on the Earth System. GFED data is available from http://www.globalfiredata.org.

scholarly journals Global fire emissions estimates during 1997–2016

2017 ◽  
Vol 9 (2) ◽  
pp. 697-720 ◽  
Author(s):  
Guido R. van der Werf ◽  
James T. Randerson ◽  
Louis Giglio ◽  
Thijs T. van Leeuwen ◽  
Yang Chen ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
North America ◽  
Fuel Consumption ◽  
Fire Severity ◽  
Emission Factors ◽  
Trace Gas ◽  
Burned Area ◽  
Biogeochemical Model ◽  
Fire Dynamics ◽  
Fire Emissions ◽  
Aerosol Emissions

Abstract. Climate, land use, and other anthropogenic and natural drivers have the potential to influence fire dynamics in many regions. To develop a mechanistic understanding of the changing role of these drivers and their impact on atmospheric composition, long-term fire records are needed that fuse information from different satellite and in situ data streams. Here we describe the fourth version of the Global Fire Emissions Database (GFED) and quantify global fire emissions patterns during 1997–2016. The modeling system, based on the Carnegie–Ames–Stanford Approach (CASA) biogeochemical model, has several modifications from the previous version and uses higher quality input datasets. Significant upgrades include (1) new burned area estimates with contributions from small fires, (2) a revised fuel consumption parameterization optimized using field observations, (3) modifications that improve the representation of fuel consumption in frequently burning landscapes, and (4) fire severity estimates that better represent continental differences in burning processes across boreal regions of North America and Eurasia. The new version has a higher spatial resolution (0.25°) and uses a different set of emission factors that separately resolves trace gas and aerosol emissions from temperate and boreal forest ecosystems. Global mean carbon emissions using the burned area dataset with small fires (GFED4s) were 2.2  ×  1015 grams of carbon per year (Pg C yr−1) during 1997–2016, with a maximum in 1997 (3.0 Pg C yr−1) and minimum in 2013 (1.8 Pg C yr−1). These estimates were 11 % higher than our previous estimates (GFED3) during 1997–2011, when the two datasets overlapped. This net increase was the result of a substantial increase in burned area (37 %), mostly due to the inclusion of small fires, and a modest decrease in mean fuel consumption (−19 %) to better match estimates from field studies, primarily in savannas and grasslands. For trace gas and aerosol emissions, differences between GFED4s and GFED3 were often larger due to the use of revised emission factors. If small fire burned area was excluded (GFED4 without the s for small fires), average emissions were 1.5 Pg C yr−1. The addition of small fires had the largest impact on emissions in temperate North America, Central America, Europe, and temperate Asia. This small fire layer carries substantial uncertainties; improving these estimates will require use of new burned area products derived from high-resolution satellite imagery. Our revised dataset provides an internally consistent set of burned area and emissions that may contribute to a better understanding of multi-decadal changes in fire dynamics and their impact on the Earth system. GFED data are available from http://www.globalfiredata.org.

scholarly journals Estimates of fire emissions from an active deforestation region in the southern Amazon based on satellite data and biogeochemical modelling

2009 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
pp. 235-249 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. R. van der Werf ◽  
D. C. Morton ◽  
R. S. DeFries ◽  
L. Giglio ◽  
J. T. Randerson ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Interannual Variability ◽  
Spatial Resolution ◽  
Biogeochemical Model ◽  
Land Uses ◽  
Time Step ◽  
Detailed Model ◽  
Mato Grosso ◽  
Fire Emissions ◽  
Deforestation Rates ◽  
In Fire

Abstract. Tropical deforestation contributes to the build-up of atmospheric carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. Within the deforestation process, fire is frequently used to eliminate biomass in preparation for agricultural use. Quantifying these deforestation-induced fire emissions represents a challenge, and current estimates are only available at coarse spatial resolution with large uncertainty. Here we developed a biogeochemical model using remote sensing observations of plant productivity, fire activity, and deforestation rates to estimate emissions for the Brazilian state of Mato Grosso during 2001–2005. Our model of DEforestation CArbon Fluxes (DECAF) runs at 250-m spatial resolution with a monthly time step to capture spatial and temporal heterogeneity in fire dynamics in our study area within the ''arc of deforestation'', the southern and eastern fringe of the Amazon tropical forest where agricultural expansion is most concentrated. Fire emissions estimates from our modelling framework were on average 90 Tg C year−1, mostly stemming from fires associated with deforestation (74%) with smaller contributions from fires from conversions of Cerrado or pastures to cropland (19%) and pasture fires (7%). In terms of carbon dynamics, about 80% of the aboveground living biomass and litter was combusted when forests were converted to pasture, and 89% when converted to cropland because of the highly mechanized nature of the deforestation process in Mato Grosso. The trajectory of land use change from forest to other land uses often takes more than one year, and part of the biomass that was not burned in the dry season following deforestation burned in consecutive years. This led to a partial decoupling of annual deforestation rates and fire emissions, and lowered interannual variability in fire emissions. Interannual variability in the region was somewhat dampened as well because annual emissions from fires following deforestation and from maintenance fires did not covary, although the effect was small due to the minor contribution of maintenance fires. Our results demonstrate how the DECAF model can be used to model deforestation fire emissions at relatively high spatial and temporal resolutions. Detailed model output is suitable for policy applications concerned with annual emissions estimates distributed among post-clearing land uses and science applications in combination with atmospheric emissions modelling to provide constrained global deforestation fire emissions estimates. DECAF currently estimates emissions from fire; future efforts can incorporate other aspects of net carbon emissions from deforestation including soil respiration and regrowth.

scholarly journals Impact of El Niño Southern Oscillation on the interannual variability of methane and tropospheric ozone

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Matthew J. Rowlinson ◽  
Alexandru Rap ◽  
Stephen R. Arnold ◽  
Richard J. Pope ◽  
Martyn P. Chipperfield ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Growth Rate ◽  
Interannual Variability ◽  
Biomass Burning ◽  
El Niño ◽  
Atmospheric Transport ◽  
El Nino ◽  
Southern Oscillation ◽  
Fire Emissions ◽  
Tropospheric O3 ◽  
Global Mean

Abstract. The growth rate of global methane (CH4) concentrations has a strong interannual variability which is believed to be driven largely by fluctuations in CH4 emissions from wetlands and wildfires, as well as changes to the atmospheric sink. The El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) is known to influence fire occurrence, wetland emission and atmospheric transport, but there are still important uncertainties associated with the exact mechanism and magnitude of this influence. Here we use a modelling approach to investigate how fires and meteorology control the interannual variability of global carbon monoxide (CO), CH4 and ozone (O3) concentrations, particularly during large El Niño events. Using a three-dimensional chemical transport model (TOMCAT) coupled to a sophisticated aerosol microphysics scheme (GLOMAP) we simulate changes to CO, hydroxyl radical (OH) and O3 for the period 1997–2014. We then use an offline radiative transfer model to quantify the impact of changes to atmospheric composition as a result of specific drivers. During the El Niño event of 1997–1998, there were increased emissions from biomass burning globally. As a result, global CO concentrations increased by more than 40 %. This resulted in decreased global mass-weighted tropospheric OH concentrations of up to 9 % and a resulting 4 % increase in the CH4 atmospheric lifetime. The change in CH4 lifetime led to a 7.5 ppb yr−1 increase in global mean CH4 growth rate in 1998. Therefore biomass burning emission of CO could account for 72 % of the total effect of fire emissions on CH4 growth rate in 1998. Our simulations indicate variations in fire emissions and meteorology associated with El Niño have opposing impacts on tropospheric O3 burden. El Niño-related atmospheric transport changes decrease global tropospheric O3 concentrations leading to a −0.03 Wm−2 change in O3 radiative effect (RE). However, enhanced fire emission of precursors such as nitrous oxides (NOx) and CO increase O3 RE by 0.03 Wm−2. While globally the two mechanisms nearly cancel out, causing only a small change in global mean O3 RE, the regional changes are large   up to −0.33 Wm−2 with potentially important consequences for atmospheric heating and dynamics.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document