American Geophysical Union Become an AGU Member
Subscribe to AGU Journals
AGU Home AGU Publications

Read Full Article (file size: 1215312 bytes)    Cited by

JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH, VOL. 108, NO. D13, 8487, doi:10.1029/2002JD002325, 2003

Emissions of trace gases and particles from savanna fires in southern Africa

Parikhit Sinha

Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA


Peter V. Hobbs

Department of Atmospheric Sciences, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA


Robert J. Yokelson

Department of Chemistry, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA


Isaac T. Bertschi

Department of Chemistry, University of Montana, Missoula, Montana, USA


Donald R. Blake

Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California, USA


Isobel J. Simpson

Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine, California, USA


Song Gao

Department of Chemistry, University of Washington, Seattle, Washington, USA


Thomas W. Kirchstetter

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, USA


Tica Novakov

Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, USA


Abstract

Airborne measurements made on initial smoke from 10 savanna fires in southern Africa provide quantitative data on emissions of 50 gaseous and particulate species, including carbon dioxide, carbon monoxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, methane, ammonia, dimethyl sulfide, nonmethane organic compounds, halocarbons, gaseous organic acids, aerosol ionic components, carbonaceous aerosols, and condensation nuclei (CN). Measurements of several of the gaseous species by gas chromatography and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy are compared. Emission ratios and emission factors are given for eight species that have not been reported previously for biomass burning of savanna in southern Africa (namely, dimethyl sulfide, methyl nitrate, five hydrocarbons, and particles with diameters from 0.1 to 3 μm). The emission factor that we measured for ammonia is lower by a factor of 4, and the emission factors for formaldehyde, hydrogen cyanide, and CN are greater by factors of about 3, 20, and 3–15, respectively, than previously reported values. The new emission factors are used to estimate annual emissions of these species from savanna fires in Africa and worldwide.

Published 21 March 2003.

Index Terms: 0305 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Aerosols and particles (0345, 4801); 0315 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Biosphere/atmosphere interactions; 0322 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Constituent sources and sinks; 0345 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Pollution—urban and regional (0305).


Read Full Article (file size: 1215312 bytes)    Cited by

Citation: Sinha, P., P. V. Hobbs, R. J. Yokelson, I. T. Bertschi, D. R. Blake, I. J. Simpson, S. Gao, T. W. Kirchstetter, and T. Novakov (2003), Emissions of trace gases and particles from savanna fires in southern Africa, J. Geophys. Res., 108(D13), 8487, doi:10.1029/2002JD002325.