scholarly journals Evaluation of vegetation fire smoke plume dynamics and aerosol load using UV scanning lidar and fire-atmosphere modelling during the Mediterranean Letia 2010 experiment

2013 ◽  
Vol 1 (4) ◽  
pp. 3991-4036
Author(s):  
V. Leroy-Cancellieri ◽  
P. Augustin ◽  
J. B. Filippi ◽  
C. Mari ◽  
M. Fourmentin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mediterranean Area ◽  
Atmospheric Model ◽  
Video Camera ◽  
Vertical Position ◽  
Passive Tracer ◽  
Smoke Plume ◽  
Fire Propagation ◽  
Lidar Measurements ◽  
Fire Smoke ◽  
Scanning Lidar

Abstract. Vegetation fires emit large amount of gases and aerosols which are detrimental to human health. Smoke exposure near and downwind of fires depends on the fire propagation, the atmospheric circulations and the burnt vegetation. A better knowledge of the interaction between wildfire and atmosphere is a primary requirement to investigate fire smoke and particle transport. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the usefulness of an UV scanning lidar to characterize the fire smoke plume and consequently validate fire-atmosphere model simulations. An instrumented burn was conducted in a Mediterranean area typical of ones frequently concern by wildfire with low dense shrubs. Using Lidar measurements positioned near the experimental site, fire smoke plume was thoroughly characterized by its optical properties, edge and dynamics. These parameters were obtained by combining methods based on lidar inversion technique, wavelet edge detection and a backscatter barycenter technique. The smoke plume displacement was determined using a digital video camera coupled with the Lidar. The simulation was performed using a meso-scale atmospheric model in a large eddy simulation configuration (Meso-NH) coupled to a fire propagation physical model (ForeFire) taking into account the effect of wind, slope and fuel properties. A passive numerical scalar tracer was injected in the model at fire location to mimic the smoke plume. The simulated fire smoke plume width remained within the edge smoke plume obtained from lidar measurements. The maximum smoke injection derived from lidar backscatter coefficients and the simulated passive tracer was around 200 m. The vertical position of the simulated plume barycenter was systematically below the barycenter derived from the lidar backscatter coefficients due to the oversimplified properties of the passive tracer compared to real aerosols particles. Simulated speed and horizontal location of the plume compared well with the observations derived from the videography and lidar method suggesting that fire convection and advection were correctly taken into account.

scholarly journals Evaluation of wildland fire smoke plume dynamics and aerosol load using UV scanning lidar and fire–atmosphere modelling during the Mediterranean Letia 2010 experiment

2014 ◽  
Vol 14 (3) ◽  
pp. 509-523 ◽  
Author(s):  
V. Leroy-Cancellieri ◽  
P. Augustin ◽  
J. B. Filippi ◽  
C. Mari ◽  
M. Fourmentin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Wildland Fire ◽  
Mediterranean Area ◽  
Atmospheric Model ◽  
Vertical Position ◽  
Passive Tracer ◽  
Smoke Plume ◽  
Fire Propagation ◽  
Lidar Measurements ◽  
Fire Smoke ◽  
Scanning Lidar

Abstract. Vegetation fires emit large amount of gases and aerosols which are detrimental to human health. Smoke exposure near and downwind of fires depends on the fire propagation, the atmospheric circulations and the burnt vegetation. A better knowledge of the interaction between wildfire and atmosphere is a primary requirement to investigate fire smoke and particle transport. The purpose of this paper is to highlight the usefulness of an UV scanning lidar to characterise the fire smoke plume and consequently validate fire–atmosphere model simulations. An instrumented burn was conducted in a Mediterranean area typical of ones frequently subject to wildfire with low dense shrubs. Using lidar measurements positioned near the experimental site, fire smoke plume was thoroughly characterised by its optical properties, edge and dynamics. These parameters were obtained by combining methods based on lidar inversion technique, wavelet edge detection and a backscatter barycentre technique. The smoke plume displacement was determined using a digital video camera coupled with the lidar. The simulation was performed using a mesoscale atmospheric model in a large eddy simulation configuration (Meso-NH) coupled to a fire propagation physical model (ForeFire), taking into account the effect of wind, slope and fuel properties. A passive numerical scalar tracer was injected in the model at fire location to mimic the smoke plume. The simulated fire smoke plume width remained within the edge smoke plume obtained from lidar measurements. The maximum smoke injection derived from lidar backscatter coefficients and the simulated passive tracer was around 200 m. The vertical position of the simulated plume barycentre was systematically below the barycentre derived from the lidar backscatter coefficients due to the oversimplified properties of the passive tracer compared to real aerosol particles. Simulated speed and horizontal location of the plume compared well with the observations derived from the videography and lidar method, suggesting that fire convection and advection were correctly taken into account.

Feasibility of forest-fire smoke detection using lidar

2003 ◽  
Vol 12 (2) ◽  
pp. 159 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andrei B. Utkin ◽  
Armando Fernandes ◽  
Fernando Simões ◽  
Alexander Lavrov ◽  
Rui Vilar
Keyword(s):  
Forest Fire ◽  
Forest Fires ◽  
Fire Detection ◽  
High Repetition Rate ◽  
Smoke Detection ◽  
Smoke Plume ◽  
Smoke Plumes ◽  
Lidar Measurements ◽  
Fire Smoke ◽  
532 Nm

The feasibility and fundamentals of forest fire detection by smoke sensing with single-wavelength lidar are discussed with reference to results of 532-nm lidar measurements of smoke plumes from experimental forest fires in Portugal within the scope of the Gestosa 2001 project. The investigations included tracing smoke-plume evolution, estimating forest-fire alarm promptness, and smoke-plume location by azimuth rastering of the lidar optical axis. The possibility of locating a smoke plume whose source is out of line of sight and detection under extremely unfavourable visibility conditions was also demonstrated. The eye hazard problem is addressed and three possibilities of providing eye-safety conditions without loss of lidar sensitivity (namely, using a low energy-per-pulse and high repetition-rate laser, an expanded laser beam, or eye-safe radiation) are discussed.

Preliminary results from scanning lidar measurements of stack plumes during winter/summer

2002 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kevin B. Strawbridge ◽  
Michael Travis ◽  
Michael G. Harwood
Keyword(s):  
Preliminary Results ◽  
Lidar Measurements ◽  
Scanning Lidar

scholarly journals Analysis of a warehouse fire smoke plume over Paris with an N<sub>2</sub> Raman lidar and an optical thickness matching algorithm

2018 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 6525-6538 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaoxia Shang ◽  
Patrick Chazette ◽  
Julien Totems
Keyword(s):  
Optical Thickness ◽  
Monte Carlo Algorithm ◽  
Optical Parameters ◽  
Depolarization Ratio ◽  
Raman Lidar ◽  
Smoke Plume ◽  
Paris Area ◽  
Fire Smoke ◽  
Lidar Ratio ◽  
Warehouse Fire

Abstract. A smoke plume, coming from an accidental fire in a textile warehouse in the north of Paris, covered a significant part of the Paris area on 17 April 2015 and seriously impacted the visibility over the megalopolis. This exceptional event was sampled with an automatic N2 Raman lidar, which operated 15 km south of Paris. The industrial pollution episode was concomitant with the long-range transport of dust aerosols originated from the Sahara, and with the presence of an extended stratus cloud cover. The analysis of the ground-based lidar profiles therefore required the development of an original inversion algorithm, using a top-down aerosol optical thickness matching (TDAM) approach. This study is, to the best of our knowledge, the first lidar measurement of a fresh smoke plume, emitted only a few hours after an accidental warehouse fire. Vertical profiles of the aerosol extinction coefficient, depolarization ratio, and lidar ratio are derived to optically characterize the aerosols that form the plume. We found a lidar ratio close to 50±10 sr for this fire smoke aerosol layer. The particle depolarization ratio is low, ∼1±0.1 %, suggesting the presence of either small particles or spherical hydrated aerosols in that layer. A Monte Carlo algorithm was used to assess the uncertainties on the optical parameters and to evaluate the TDAM algorithm.

scholarly journals Assessment of aerosol's mass concentrations from measured linear particle depolarization ratio (vertically resolved) and simulations

2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (11) ◽  
pp. 3243-3255 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Nemuc ◽  
J. Vasilescu ◽  
C. Talianu ◽  
L. Belegante ◽  
D. Nicolae
Keyword(s):  
Atmospheric Model ◽  
Saharan Dust ◽  
Depolarization Ratio ◽  
Backscatter Coefficient ◽  
Regional Atmospheric Model ◽  
Lidar Measurements ◽  
Multi Wavelength ◽  
Different Origins ◽  
Good Agreement ◽  
Mass Concentrations

Abstract. Multi-wavelength depolarization Raman lidar measurements from Magurele, Romania are used in this study along with simulated mass-extinction efficiencies to calculate the mass concentration profiles of different atmospheric components, due to their different depolarization contribution to the 532 nm backscatter coefficient. Linear particle depolarization ratio (δpart) was computed using the relative amplification factor and the system-dependent molecular depolarization. The low depolarizing component was considered as urban/smoke, with a mean δpart of 3%, while for the high depolarizing component (mineral dust) a mean δpart of 35% was assumed. For this study 11 months of lidar measurements were analysed. Two study cases are presented in details: one for a typical Saharan dust aerosol intrusion, 10 June 2012 and one for 12 July 2012 when a lofted layer consisting of biomass burning smoke extended from 3 to 4.5 km height. Optical Properties of Aerosols and Clouds software package (OPAC) classification and conversion factors were used to calculate mass concentrations. We found that calibrated depolarization measurements are critical in distinguishing between smoke-reach aerosol during the winter and dust-reach aerosol during the summer, as well as between elevated aerosol layers having different origins. Good agreement was found between lidar retrievals and DREAM- Dust REgional Atmospheric Model forecasts in cases of Saharan dust. Our method was also compared against LIRIC (The Lidar/Radiometer Inversion Code) and very small differences were observed.

scholarly journals Vertical variation of optical properties of mixed Asian dust/pollution plumes according to pathway of airmass transport over East Asia

2015 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 3381-3413 ◽  
Author(s):  
S.-K. Shin ◽  
D. Müller ◽  
K. H. Lee ◽  
D. Shin ◽  
Y. J. Kim ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Optical Properties ◽  
Asian Dust ◽  
Optical Characteristics ◽  
Vertical Position ◽  
Depolarization Ratio ◽  
Dust Pollution ◽  
Transport Time ◽  
Lidar Measurements ◽  
The Mean ◽  
532 Nm

Abstract. We use five years (2009–2013) of multiwavelength Raman lidar measurements at Gwangju, Korea (35.10° N, 126.53° E) for the identification of changes of optical properties of East Asian dust in dependence of its transport path over China. Profiles of backscatter and extinction coefficients, lidar ratios, and backscatter-related Ångström exponents (wavelength pair 355/532 nm) were measured at Gwangju. Linear particle depolarization ratios were used to identify East Asian dust layers. We used backward trajectory modelling to identify the pathway and the vertical position of dust-laden air masses over China during long-range transport. Most cases of Asian dust events can be described by the emission of dust in desert areas and subsequent transport over highly polluted regions of China. The Asian dust plumes could be categorized into two classes according to the height above ground in which these plumes were transported: (I) the dust layers passed over China at high altitude levels until arrival over Gwangju, and (II) the Asian dust layers were transported near the surface and the lower troposphere over industrialized areas before they arrived over Gwangju. We find that the optical characteristics of these mixed Asian dust layers over Gwangju differ in dependence of their vertical position above ground over China and the change of height above ground during transport. The mean linear particle depolarization ratio was 0.21 ± 0.06 (at 532 nm), the mean lidar ratios were 52 ± 7 sr at 355 nm and 53 ± 8 sr at 532 nm, and the mean Ångström exponent was 0.74 ± 0.31 in case I. In contrast, plumes transported at lower altitudes (case II) showed low depolarization ratios, and higher lidar ratio and Ångström exponents. The mean linear particle depolarization ratio was 0.13 ± 0.04, the mean lidar ratios were 63 ± 9 sr at 355 nm and 62 ± 8 sr at 532 nm, respectively, and the mean Ångström exponent was 0.98 ± 0.51. These numbers show that the optical characteristics of mixed Asian plumes are more similar to optical characteristics of urban pollution. We find a decrease of the linear depolarization ratio of the mixed dust/pollution plume in dependence of transport time if the pollution layer travelled over China at low heights, i.e., below approximately 3 km above ground. In contrast we do not find such a trend if the dust plumes travelled at heights above 4 km over China. We need a longer time series of lidar measurements in order to determine the change of optical properties of dust with transport time in a quantitative way.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document