Remote sensing and model analysis of biomass burning smoke transported across the Atlantic during the 2020 Western US wildfire season.

ABSTRACT: Biomass burning is the main source of air pollution in several regions worldwide nowadays. This predominance is expected to increase in the upcoming years as a result of the rising number of devastating wildfires due to climate change. Harmful pollutants contained in the smoke emitted by fires can alter downwind air quality both locally and remotely as a consequence of the recurrent transport of biomass burning plumes across thousands of kilometers. Here, we demonstrate how observations of carbon monoxide and aerosol optical depth retrieved from polar orbiting and geostationary meteorological satellites can be used to study the long-range transport and evolution of smoke plumes. This is illustrated through the megafire events that occurred during summer 2020 in the Western United States an

SUBMITTER: Ceamanos X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC10519943 | biostudies-literature | 2023 Sep

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature