Observations of aerosol optical properties during tropical forest fires in Indonesia

Abstract

This study aims to determine the direct effect of aerosol on one element of the radiation energy balance that includes short-wavelength (SW). The AOD data from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer, MODIS level 3 instrument, Terra satellite, and the Clouds and Earth's Radiant Energy System (CERES) radiation component instrument were obtained to observe the spatial and temporal variations in the aerosol optical depth (AOD) at 550 nm and their relationship to the radiation balance element. These data were analyzed from January 2000 to April 2019 in Indonesia. The results of the analysis show that the average daily temporal fluctuation of AOD showed a respectively high value, namely 1.03 on 23 October 2015 and 0.68 on 9 October 2006. This very high AOD value was closely related to forest fires in Sumatra and Kalimantan. The immediate reaction in Kalimantan was when there was an increase in the accumulation of aerosol particles in the atmosphere in urban areas in this region, namely Palangka Raya, Pontianak and Banjarmasin. From the results of processing using the scatter plot statistical method, the relationship between AOD and SW obtained a negative correlation value (r) which was quite high for Pontianak with r = 0.62.