Aerosols, biomass burning

Andreae MO, Adas E, Cachier H, Gofer WR III, Harris GW, Helas G, Kopp-mann R, Lacaux JR Ward DE, Trace gas and aerosol emissions from savanna fires, in Levine JS (ed.). Biomass Burning and Global Change, Vol. 1, MIT Press, Gambridge, MA, pp. 278-295, 1996. 

Oros DR, Simoneit BRT, Identification of molecular tracers in organic aerosols from temperate climate vegetation subjected to biomass burning, Aerosol Sci Tech... 

Graham B, Mayol-Bracero OL, Guyon P, Roberts GC, Decesari S, Facchini MG, Artaxo P, Maenhaut W, Koll P, Andreae MO, Water-soluble organic compounds in biomass burning aerosols over Amazonia. 1. Characterization... 

Christopher, S. A., D. V. Kliche, J. Chou, and R. M. Welch, First Estimates of the Radiative Forcing of Aerosols Generated from Biomass Burning Using Satellite Data, J. Geophys. Res., 101, 21265-21273 (1996). 

Penner, J. E R. E. Dickinson, and C. A. O Neill, Effects of Biomass Burning Aerosol on Global Radiation Budget, Science, 256, 1432-1434 (1992). 

Global aerosol levels as measured by the Earth Probe, ADEOS, tfra/Nimbus-7 satellites can befound at this web address. Scientists use this data to observe a wide range of phenomena, such as desert dust storms, forest fires, and biomass burning. 

Saarikoski S, Sillanpaa M, Sofiev M, Timonen H, Saamio K, Teinila K, Karppinen A, Kukkonen J, Hillamo R (2007) Chemical composition of aerosols during a major biomass burning episode over northern Europe in spring 2006 experimental and modelling assessments. Atmos Environ 41 3577-3589... 

Arola A, Lindfors A, Natunen A, Lehtinen KEJ (2007) A case study on biomass burning aerosols effects on aerosol optical properties and surface radiation levels. Atmos Chem Phys... 

Mielonen T, Portin H, Komppula M, Leskinen A, Tamminen J, Ialongo I, Hakkarainen J, Lehtinen KEJ, Arola A (2012) Biomass burning aerosols observed in Eastern Finland during the Russian wildfires in summer 2010 - Part 2 remote sensing. Atmos Environ 47 279-287... 

Finally the so-called mono- and macro-tracer approaches can be applied for determining source contributions. These methods rely on the fact that a number of chemical compounds can be directly linked to biomass combustion emissions. For example, ambient concentrations of water-soluble potassium, certain PAHs, anhydrosugars and many other tracers have been used as indicators for the impact of biomass burning. When the fractions of one of these tracers in PM and carbonaceous aerosols emitted by wood burning are known (emissions ratios), the contribution of wood burning at a receptor site can be calculated based on the concentration of the considered tracer (mono tracer method). 

Andreae MO, Merlet P (2001) Emission of trace gases and aerosols from biomass burning. Global Biogeochem Cycles 15 955-966... 

Sciare J, Oikonomou K, Favez O, Markaki Z, Liakakou E, Cachier H, Mihalopoulos N (2008) Long-term measurements of carbonaceous aerosols in the Eastern Mediterranean evidence of long-range transport of biomass burning. Atmos Chem Phys 8 5551-5563... 

During biomass and fuel burning, a complex mixture of ill-characterized volatile organic matter are released into the atmosphere (Andreae and Merlet, 2001). It contributes to the formation of aerosols and fine particles of sizes up to 100 pm. After an estimated lifetime of 7.9 days (Cook and Wilson, 1996), they are either degraded or are removed from the atmosphere by precipitation. However, they can be transported a considerable distance. For example, boreal forest fires contribute substantially to atmospheric BC in the Arctic (Cook and Wilson, 1996), and Antarctica receives BC from biomass burning in the tropics (Wolff and Cachier, 1998). On a global scale the amount of atmospheric emission is estimated with 5-6Tg BC yr 1,... 

Globally, and as put forward by Gelencser (2004), it is possible that to a certain extent all pathways for secondary aerosol WSOM formation could occur this would explain the ubiquitous nature and abundance of WSOM in atmospheric aerosol. What is known for certain is that biomass burning is a primary source of WSOM. Its secondary origin, however, still is under discussion and awaits proper experimental support. 

Chan, M. N., Choi, M. Y., Ng, N. L., and Chan, C. K. (2005). Hygroscopicity of water-soluble organic compounds in atmospheric aerosols Amino acids and biomass burning derived organic species. Environ. Sci. Technol. 39,1555-1562. 

Heightened interest on air reactions that can be associated with C cycle and climate changes include NOM compounds. Therefore, there are demands for characterization and reaction mechanisms of NOM in aerosols from different origins, namely, urban, rural, from biomass burning, and others. On that account, spectroscopic techniques, combined with adequate sample preparation methods, could bring additional insights into aerosol research studies. 

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