Evolution of Trace Gases and Particles Emitted by a Chaparral Fire in California

Biomass burning (BB) is a major global source of trace gases and particles. Accurately representing the production and evolution of these emissions is an important goal for atmospheric chemical transport models. We measured a suite of gases and aerosols emitted from an 81 hectare prescribed fire in chaparral fuels on the central coast of California US on 17 November 2009. We also measured physical and chemical changes that occurred in the isolated downwind plume in the first 4 h after emission. The measurements were carried out onboard a Twin Otter aircraft outfitted with an airborne Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (AFTIR), aerosol mass spectrometer (AMS), single particle soot photometer (SP2), nephelometer, LiCor CO2 analyzer a chemiluminescence ozone instrument, and a wing mounted meteorological probe.
Pub. in Atmos. Chem. Phys., v12 p1397-1421, 2012.