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GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 34, L03818, doi:10.1029/2006GL028149, 2007

On the sensitivity of radiative forcing from biomass burning aerosols and ozone to emission location

Vaishali Naik

Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA


Denise L. Mauzerall

Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA


Larry W. Horowitz

Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, NOAA, Princeton, New Jersey, USA


M. Daniel Schwarzkopf

Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, NOAA, Princeton, New Jersey, USA


V. Ramaswamy

Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory, NOAA, Princeton, New Jersey, USA


Michael Oppenheimer

Woodrow Wilson School of Public and International Affairs, Princeton University, Princeton, New Jersey, USA


Abstract

Biomass burning is a major source of air pollutants, some of which are also climate forcing agents. We investigate the sensitivity of direct radiative forcing due to tropospheric ozone and aerosols (carbonaceous and sulfate) to a marginal reduction in their (or their precursor) emissions from major biomass burning regions. We find that the largest negative global forcing is for 10% emission reductions in tropical regions, including Africa (−4.1 mWm−2 from gas and −4.1 mWm−2 from aerosols), and South America (−3.0 mWm−2 from gas and −2.8 mWm−2 from aerosols). We estimate that a unit reduction in the amount of biomass burned in India produces the largest negative ozone and aerosol forcing. Our analysis indicates that reducing biomass burning emissions causes negative global radiative forcing due to ozone and aerosols; however, regional differences need to be considered when evaluating controls on biomass burning to mitigate global climate change.

Received 13 September 2006; accepted 27 December 2006; published 13 February 2007.

Keywords: biomass burning; radiative forcing; tropospheric ozone; aerosols; regional sensitivity.

Index Terms: 0365 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Troposphere: composition and chemistry; 0305 Atmospheric Composition and Structure: Aerosols and particles (0345, 4801, 4906); 1610 Global Change: Atmosphere (0315, 0325).

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Citation: Naik, V., D. L. Mauzerall, L. W. Horowitz, M. D. Schwarzkopf, V. Ramaswamy, and M. Oppenheimer (2007), On the sensitivity of radiative forcing from biomass burning aerosols and ozone to emission location, Geophys. Res. Lett., 34, L03818, doi:10.1029/2006GL028149.