Eulerian simulations of the dynamics and gas and aerosol chemistry of a young biomass burning smoke plume from a savannah fire

Conference Proceedings Paper
Eulerian simulations of the dynamics and gas and aerosol chemistry of a young biomass burning smoke plume from a savannah fire
Alvarado, M., and R.G. Prinn (2007)
Eos Transactions, AGU, 88(52), Fall Meet. Suppl., abstract A33A-0827

Abstract/Summary:

The growth of aerosol particles and production of ozone in young smoke plumes is the result of a complex interaction between the mean flow in the smoke plume, turbulent diffusion, gas-phase oxidation, coagulation, and mass transfer between phases. Models allow us to separate the effects of these processes and predict their impact on the global environment. We present the results of two and three-dimensional Eulerian simulations of the dynamics and chemistry of the smoke plume formed by the Timbavati savannah fire studied during SAFARI 2000 (Hobbs et al., 2003, JGR, doi:10.1029/2002JD002352). The dynamical model is an extension of an Eulerian cloud-resolving model that has previously been used to study the role of deep convective clouds on tropospheric chemistry (Wang and Prinn, 2000, JGR, 105(D17) 22,269-22,297). The model includes a source of sensible heat, gases, and particles at the surface to simulate the savannah fire. The new gas and aerosol chemistry model includes heterogeneous chemistry, kinetic mass transfer, coagulation and the formation of secondary organic and inorganic aerosol. Photolysis rates are calculated based on the solution of the radiative transfer equation within the plume, including the scattering and absorption of radiation by the smoke aerosols. Our preliminary 2D Eulerian results using standard chemistry and UV fluxes show that the model can simulate the lower but not the higher levels of O3 observed. Also, the simulated 2D O3 field shows a wave-like pattern in the downwind direction, even though the emissions from the fire are held constant. This suggests that plume heterogeneity in the downwind direction may account for some of the observed variability in O3. We will present results of runs incorporating higher resolution calculation of photolysis rates, heterogeneous HONO formation, and gas phase reactions involving the uncharacterized organic compounds observed in the gas phase of the Timbavati plume in order to better simulate these higher O3 values.

Citation:

Alvarado, M., and R.G. Prinn (2007): Eulerian simulations of the dynamics and gas and aerosol chemistry of a young biomass burning smoke plume from a savannah fire. Eos Transactions, AGU, 88(52), Fall Meet. Suppl., abstract A33A-0827 (http://www.agu.org/meetings/fm07/)
  • Conference Proceedings Paper
Eulerian simulations of the dynamics and gas and aerosol chemistry of a young biomass burning smoke plume from a savannah fire

Alvarado, M., and R.G. Prinn

AGU, 88(52), Fall Meet. Suppl., abstract A33A-0827

Abstract/Summary: 

The growth of aerosol particles and production of ozone in young smoke plumes is the result of a complex interaction between the mean flow in the smoke plume, turbulent diffusion, gas-phase oxidation, coagulation, and mass transfer between phases. Models allow us to separate the effects of these processes and predict their impact on the global environment. We present the results of two and three-dimensional Eulerian simulations of the dynamics and chemistry of the smoke plume formed by the Timbavati savannah fire studied during SAFARI 2000 (Hobbs et al., 2003, JGR, doi:10.1029/2002JD002352). The dynamical model is an extension of an Eulerian cloud-resolving model that has previously been used to study the role of deep convective clouds on tropospheric chemistry (Wang and Prinn, 2000, JGR, 105(D17) 22,269-22,297). The model includes a source of sensible heat, gases, and particles at the surface to simulate the savannah fire. The new gas and aerosol chemistry model includes heterogeneous chemistry, kinetic mass transfer, coagulation and the formation of secondary organic and inorganic aerosol. Photolysis rates are calculated based on the solution of the radiative transfer equation within the plume, including the scattering and absorption of radiation by the smoke aerosols. Our preliminary 2D Eulerian results using standard chemistry and UV fluxes show that the model can simulate the lower but not the higher levels of O3 observed. Also, the simulated 2D O3 field shows a wave-like pattern in the downwind direction, even though the emissions from the fire are held constant. This suggests that plume heterogeneity in the downwind direction may account for some of the observed variability in O3. We will present results of runs incorporating higher resolution calculation of photolysis rates, heterogeneous HONO formation, and gas phase reactions involving the uncharacterized organic compounds observed in the gas phase of the Timbavati plume in order to better simulate these higher O3 values.