Evidence for impacts on surface-level air quality in the northeastern US from long-distance transport of smoke from North American fires during the Long Island Sound Tropospheric Ozone Study (LISTOS) 2018

Haley M Rogers,Drew R Gentner,Jenna C Ditto

doi:10.5194/acp-20-671-2020

Abstract

Abstract. Biomass burning is a large source of uncontrolled air pollutants, including particulate matter (i.e., PM2.5), black carbon (BC), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), and carbon monoxide (CO), which have significant effects on air quality, human health, and climate. Measurements of PM2.5, BC, and CO made at the Yale Coastal Field Station in Guilford, CT, and five other sites in the metropolitan New York City (NYC) area indicate long-distance transport of pollutants from wildfires and other biomass burning to surface-level sites in the region. Here, we examine two such events occurring on 16–17 and 27–29 August 2018. In addition to regionally consistent enhancements in the surface concentrations of gases and particulates associated with biomass burning, satellite imagery confirms the presence of smoke plumes in the NYC–Connecticut region during these events. Back-trajectory modeling indicates that air masses arriving at surface-level sites in coastal Connecticut on 16–17 August passed over the western coast of Canada, near multiple large wildfires. In contrast, air parcels arriving on 27–29 August passed over active fires in the southeastern United States. The results of this study demonstrate that biomass burning events throughout the US and Canada (at times more than 4000 km away), which are increasing in frequency, impact surface-level air quality beyond regional scales, including in NYC and the northeastern US.

Highlights

Biomass burning, which occurs on a large scale during wildfires and some controlled burns, is a major source of air pollutants that impact air quality, human health, and climate (Lewis et al, 2008; Liu et al, 2015; Reid et al, 2016; Urbanski et al, 2008)
The Pinnacle site, more than 300 km west in upstate New York, is affected by the initial arrival of smoke plumes, but black carbon (BC) concentrations decrease sooner than at the Yale Coastal Field Station (YCFS) or New Haven, CT, site, which is consistent with the eastward movement of the plumes in the satellite imagery (Figs. 3 and 4) and backward trajectories (Figs. 5 and 6)
This study provides three pieces of evidence for the potential influence of long-distance transport of emissions from wildfires and other biomass burning on air quality in metropolitan New York City (NYC) and the northeastern US

Summary

Introduction

Biomass burning, which occurs on a large scale during wildfires and some controlled burns, is a major source of air pollutants that impact air quality, human health, and climate (Lewis et al, 2008; Liu et al, 2015; Reid et al, 2016; Urbanski et al, 2008) During these events, gases such as carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), methane (CH4), nitrous oxide (N2O), nitrogen oxides (NOx), and gas-phase organic compounds (including volatile organic compounds – VOCs) are directly released into the atmosphere (Akagi et al, 2011; Urbanski et al, 2008; Vicente et al, 2013; Yokelson et al, 2013). In addition to the environmental impacts of biomass burning emissions, elevated PM2.5 concentrations have been associated with respiratory and cardiovascular disease and higher mortality rates (Brook et al, 2004; Dockery et al, 1993; Reid et al, 2016)

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