Global impact unlikely from Kuwait fires

Abstract

The smoke from the Kuwait oil fires is unlikely to have large‐scale effects on global climate, say atmospheric scientists who have just returned from studying the massive plume. The smoke is already altering the local environment of the Gulf region, however. Over 500 Kuwaiti oil wells have been burning since the close of the Gulf War, producing a smoke plume tens of thousands of square miles in extent.The 27‐scientist team probed the smoke with two instrument‐laden planes, which were flown on a total of 35 flights from May 16 through June 12. The expedition, which was sponsored by the National Science Foundation, presented its results on June 24 in Washington, D.C. The study was led by Peter Hobbs of the University of Washington and Lawrence Radke of the National Center for Atmospheric Research.