This document summarizes research on the effects of wildfires in Arizona on atmospheric conditions observed at Storm Peak Laboratory in Colorado in June 2011. Instrumentation including radiometers and satellite imagery were used to analyze clear and smoky days. On clear days, total visible irradiance followed expected patterns but smoke days showed limitations in radiometer and satellite data. Future research could improve using ground data to enhance satellite aerosol measurements and better understand long-term climate impacts of increased wildfires globally.
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Effects of Arizona Wildfires Observed at Storm Peak Lab
1. Effects of Arizona Wildfires
Observed at Storm Peak Lab
Steamboat Springs, Colorado
June 2011
Kyle Nelson1
Chiemeka Ihebom2
Rodrigue Payen2
1Central Michigan University
2York College / CUNY
6. Solar irradiance at seven wavelengths
Shadowband benefits
Products
Measured
Diffuse and Total Radiation
Derived
Direct Radiation
Direct = Total - Diffuse
Measure every 20 seconds
UV Multifilter Rotating Shadowband
Radiometer (UVMFRSR)
7. Visible Multifilter Rotating
Shadowband Radiometer (VMFRSR)
Solar irradiance at six wavelengths
Three components measured simultaneously
Products
Measured
Diffuse and Total Radiation
Derived
Direct Radiation
Total Optical Depth
Measurements every 15 seconds
10. Contained on Aqua and Terra platforms
36 bands, 405nm to 14μm
Visible to Infrared
Able to detect fires using IR bands
MODIS: Moderate Resolution
Imaging Spectrometer
11. MODIS: Moderate Resolution
Imaging Spectrometer
Orbital period: 98 minutes
Each covers entire Earth once per day
Morning: Terra; Afternoon: Aqua
12. GOES-W
Geostationary Operational Environmental
Satellite – West
Atmospheric sounder and imager onboard
Images every 30 minutes (Routine mode),
15 minutes (Rapid mode)
Greater temporal resolution than MODIS
Geostationary over Equator at 135W
22,300 miles/36,000km above ground
15. Total Visible Irradiance – Clear Day
0.00
0.20
0.40
0.60
0.80
1.00
1.20
1.40
1.60
1.80
2.00
Watts/m2
Local Time
500 Nanometer Total Visible Irradiance
16. Direct Visible Irradiance – Clear Day
0.00
0.20
0.40
0.60
0.80
1.00
1.20
1.40
1.60
1.80
Watts/m2
Local Time
500 Nanometer Direct Visible Irradiance
17. Diffuse Visible Irradiance – Clear Day
0.00
0.02
0.04
0.06
0.08
0.10
0.12
0.14
0.16
0.18
0.20
Watts/m2
Local Time
500 Nanometer Diffuse Visible Irradiance
18. MODIS – Clear Day (Aqua 12:54 LDT)
Arizona Colorado
June 10
27. Total Optical Depth - Smoke
0
0.5
1
1.5
2
2.5
ScaledDepth:Unitless
Local Time
500 Nanometer Total Visible Optical Depth
Smoke
Clear
28. Conclusions
Effects of smoke and suspended aerosols
observed with in-situ and remote sensing
Limitations in analysis
Extreme variations in radiometric data
Non-cloud screened total optical depth data
Must GOES-W data to cloud screen manually
29. Future Research
Using MFRSR aerosol optical depth to improve
MODIS aerosol optical depth
Lack of radiation reaching Earth’s surface
Fires globally, year round
Cumulative effects? Climate change?
Aerosols enabling cloud formation
Mesoscale temperature anomalies leading to
change in local weather patterns
Clouds from darker CCN absorb(reflect) more(less)
solar radiation than clouds from lighter CCN
30. Acknowledgements
Storm Peak Lab
Dr. Gannet Hallar
Dr. Ian McCubbin
Dr. Craig Dodson
GRASP Mentors
Erica Strom
Zach Valdez
Kyra Han Kim
Dimauro Edwards
Wanda Vargas
Class of GRASP 2011
Howard University
Desert Research Institute
GOES-W VIS Imagery
Deb Molenar (RAMMB/NOAA)
Dave Watson, Dan Welsh,
Kevin Micke (RAMMB/CIRA)