Abstract
Smoke injection height (SIH) determines the distance and direction of smoke transport, thus impacting the atmospheric environment. In this study, we used Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations data coupled with Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data and the Hybrid Single-Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory model to derive the SIH values during the peak forest and grassland fire seasons from 2012 to 2017 in Southwest China. The results suggest that the SIH values ranged from 2500 m to 2890 m. An analysis of the dependence of SIH on fire characteristics revealed no obvious correlation between SIH and fire radiative power (FRP) because other factors in addition to FRP have an important impact on SIH. Moreover, MODIS FRP data has a drawback in representing the energy released by real fires, also leading to this result. The topographic variables of forest and grassland fires in Southwest China are very different. Complex topography affects SIH by affecting fire intensity and interactions with wind. A comparison of the SIHs with boundary layer height reveals that 75% of the SIHs are above the boundary layer. Compared with other areas, a higher percentage of free troposphere injection occurs in Southwest China, indicating that smoke can cause air pollution over large ranges. Our work provides a better understanding of the transport and vertical distribution of smoke in Southwest China.
Highlights
The smoke released from forest and grassland fires consists of a variety of trace gases and particulate matter
We further examined the dependence of smoke injection height (SIH) on fire radiative power (FRP) and topography to explore the factors that may affect SIHs in Southwest
The results show that the SIHs ranged from 2500 m to 2890 m above ground level, with a mean value of 2706.5 ± 147.6 m
Summary
The smoke released from forest and grassland fires consists of a variety of trace gases and particulate matter. Zhao et al [22] simulated the distribution of particulate matter with aerodynamic diameters less than 2.5 μm (PM2.5 ) produced by wildfires to evaluate the impact of regional fire smoke on air quality They pointed out that wildfire emissions in Southwest China may affect local densely populated areas. Study of the transport and vertical distribution of smoke from forest and grassland fires in Southwest China is still limited. It is helpful to understand whether the smoke of forest and grassland fires in Southwest China cause smoke transport and air pollution over large ranges. 2. Datato and Methods whether the smoke of forest and grassland fires in Southwest China cause smoke transport and air pollution over large ranges
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