The Height of Smoke Injection and Atmospheric Conditions on Smoke Dispersion in Riau Province Using The CALIPSO

Abstract

Every year, smoke is still a significant problem and challenge in Indonesia. Forest and land fires cause vast amounts of smoke, negatively affecting society, such as health by decreased air quality index and transportation through reduced visibility. Factors that affect the spread of smoke from a fire source include wind, smoke injection height, and atmospheric conditions. This study examines the smoke dispersion that occurred on 23 and 31 August 2019; and 18 September 2019 in Riau province, where smoke was identified by the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation (CALIPSO). The results showed that the height of the smoke injection was relatively high, ranging from 1.6 to 2.5 km, the majority of which are above the Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL). Winds that move from the southeast and southwest with a speed of 3-5 m/s support the growth of the smoke column and the transportation of smoke from the fires to the downtown area of Pekanbaru. A secondary stable layer in the lower layer supports the fumigation process, which resulted in a decrease in the air quality index in Pekanbaru at the event to an unhealthy level and visibility up to 2 km.