Abstract
Abstract. We introduce the Coupled Aerosol and Tracer Transport model to the Brazilian developments on the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (CATT-BRAMS). CATT-BRAMS is an on-line transport model fully consistent with the simulated atmospheric dynamics. Emission sources from biomass burning and urban-industrial-vehicular activities for trace gases and from biomass burning aerosol particles are obtained from several published datasets and remote sensing information. The tracer and aerosol mass concentration prognostics include the effects of sub-grid scale turbulence in the planetary boundary layer, convective transport by shallow and deep moist convection, wet and dry deposition, and plume rise associated with vegetation fires in addition to the grid scale transport. The radiation parameterization takes into account the interaction between the simulated biomass burning aerosol particles and short and long wave radiation. The atmospheric model BRAMS is based on the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS), with several improvements associated with cumulus convection representation, soil moisture initialization and surface scheme tuned for the tropics, among others. In this paper the CATT-BRAMS model is used to simulate carbon monoxide and particulate material (PM2.5) surface fluxes and atmospheric transport during the 2002 LBA field campaigns, conducted during the transition from the dry to wet season in the southwest Amazon Basin. Model evaluation is addressed with comparisons between model results and near surface, radiosondes and airborne measurements performed during the field campaign, as well as remote sensing derived products. We show the matching of emissions strengths to observed carbon monoxide in the LBA campaign. A relatively good comparison to the MOPITT data, in spite of the fact that MOPITT a priori assumptions imply several difficulties, is also obtained.
Highlights
Biomass burning is a major anthropogenic source of greenhouse gases, aerosols and pollutants to the atmosphere during the dry season (July to October) over South America (Andreae, 1991; Artaxo et al, 2002; Andreae et al, 2004)
CATT is an “on-line” transport model fully coupled to the BRAMS atmospheric model and has been designed to study emission, deposition and transport of gases and aerosols associated with biomass burning in South America (SA)
BRAMS is derived from the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (Walko et al, 2000) and contains a set of new features to better represent the tropical and sub-tropical physical processes that drive the atmosphere over this region
Summary
Biomass burning (vegetation fires) is a major anthropogenic source of greenhouse gases, aerosols and pollutants to the atmosphere during the dry season (July to October) over South America (Andreae, 1991; Artaxo et al, 2002; Andreae et al, 2004). CATT is an “on-line” transport model fully coupled to the BRAMS atmospheric model and has been designed to study emission, deposition and transport of gases and aerosols associated with biomass burning in South America (SA). BRAMS is derived from the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (Walko et al, 2000) and contains a set of new features to better represent the tropical and sub-tropical physical processes that drive the atmosphere over this region This modeling system is used to simulate the 2002 dry season in SA, when and where the LBA (Large Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia – http://www.lbaeco.org) field campaigns Smoke, Aerosols, Clouds, rainfall, and Climate (SMOCC) and Radiation, Cloud, and Climate Interactions in the Amazon (RaCCI) during the dry-to-wet transition season took place.
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