Subtropical southern Africa fire emissions of nitrogen oxides and ammonia obtained with satellite observations and GEOS-Chem.

ABSTRACT: Landscape fires in subtropical southern Africa (2-20°S) are a prominent regional source of nitrogen oxides (NO _x ) and ammonia (NH₃), affecting climate and air quality as precursors of tropospheric ozone and aerosols. Here we evaluate GEOS-Chem model skill at reproducing satellite observations of vertical column densities of NO₂ from TROPOMI and NH₃ from IASI driven with three distinct and widely used biomass burning inventories (FINNv2.5, GFEDv4s, GFASv1.2). We identify that GFASv1.2 use of fire radiative power and a NO _x emission factor that is almost half that used by the other two inventories is most consistent with TROPOMI and that FINNv2.5 use of active fires and landscape-specific fuel loads and biomass consumed is

SUBMITTER: Marais EA 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12180295 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Aug

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature