New research modeling smoke from two recent megafires sets the stage for better forecasting of how emissions from these global-scale events will behave and impact temperatures.
New research modeling smoke from two recent megafires sets the stage for better forecasting of how emissions from these global-scale events will behave and impact temperatures. As huge wildfires become more common under climate change, increased attention has focused on the intensity and duration of their emissions, which rival those of some volcano eruptions.
Megafires in British Columbia in 2017 and Australia in 2019-2020 injected massive amounts of smoke into the stratosphere, allowing first-ever detailed satellite- and ground-based measurements of such cataclysms. Using that data for validation, a Los Alamos National Laboratory–led team modeled the behavior and impacts of the smoke as it rose from the lower atmosphere into the high-riding stratosphere, then circulated the globe. The research appeared in the Journal of Geophysical Research – Atmospheres.
“This is the only time we’ve tracked the global scale smoke phenomenon with satellite- and ground-based observations, which allows us to improve the model and understand the impact,” said Manvendra Dubey, project lead and co-author of the paper published this week in the Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres. “The models and measurements are coming together to enhance predictability.”
Read more at DOE/Los Alamos National Laboratory
Image: Recent megafires in Australia and British Columbia have injected unprecedented amounts of smoke into the stratosphere. Modeling led by Los Alamos National Laboratory will help predict the effects of similar future events. (Credit: David Peterson, FIREX-AQ)
