Quantifying the impact of biomass burning and stratosphere-troposphere exchange on tropospheric ozone using Aura data and 3-D modelling
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Edinburgh
Department Name: Sch of Geosciences
Abstract
Ozone in the stratosphere protects life on Earth from harmful ultraviolet radiation. In the troposphere, however, it is a harmful pollutant, increasing the incidence of lung disease and decreasing the productivity of crops. Human activities do not emit much ozone directly. However, they do emit many molecules which participate in chemical reactions which form ozone. So, before we can control the levels of ozone, we need to understand where these other molecules come from and how they cause ozone to form. A major source of ozone precursor molecules is the burning of biomass: this also contributes to poor air quality in other ways. Pollution from biomass burning spreads around the globe, affecting areas at great distances from its sources. The chemistry of the troposphere is complex, requiring detailed computer models in order to simulate its behaviour. Because some of the ozone in the troposphere comes from the stratosphere, it is advantageous to use a single model that simulates both regions and the transport of air between them. The TOMCAT/SLIMCAT three-diemnsional model is a state-of-the-art model of this type. Satellites have made global measurements of trace chemicals in the stratosphere for several decades. To do the same for the troposphere is much more difficult. Aura is a satellite, launched in July 2004, which carries out this mission. Four instruments fly on Aura of which three make measurements of tropospheric chemistry. These three instruments operate in different ways and have very different strengths and weaknesses. The purpose of this proposal is to gain an improved understanding of the processes that produce tropospheric ozone. To achieve this, we will combine data from Aura with the TOMCAT/SLIMCAT model. It will first be necessary to assess the degree to which the model agrees with the measurements. In order for this comparison to be made, it is necessary to extract data from the model at the same times and places and in the same manner as the measurements are made. With this assessment done, we then intend to work backwards from the measurements, in order to estimate how much of various pollutant molecules are being emitted and hence how much biomass is being burned. We will also estimate how much of the ozone in the troposphere comes from the stratosphere.
People |
ORCID iD |
| Hugh Pumphrey (Principal Investigator) | |
| Paul Palmer (Co-Investigator) |
Publications
Claeyman M
(2010)
A linear CO chemistry parameterization in a chemistry-transport model: evaluation and application to data assimilation
in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Gonzi S
(2011)
Seasonal cycle of emissions of CO inferred from MOPITT profiles of CO: Sensitivity to pyroconvection and profile retrieval assumptions SEASONAL CYCLE OF EMISSIONS OF CO
in Geophysical Research Letters
Gonzi S
(2010)
Vertical transport of surface fire emissions observed from space
in Journal of Geophysical Research
Gonzi S
(2011)
Biomass burning emission estimates inferred from satellite column measurements of HCHO: Sensitivity to co-emitted aerosol and injection height HCHO BIOMASS BURNING EMISSIONS
in Geophysical Research Letters
Höpfner M
(2015)
Sulfur dioxide (SO 2 ) from MIPAS in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere 2002-2012
in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Lee J
(2011)
Aura Microwave Limb Sounder observations of the polar middle atmosphere: Dynamics and transport of CO and H 2 O
in Journal of Geophysical Research
Li Q
(2009)
What drives the observed variability of HCN in the troposphere and lower stratosphere?
in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Liu J
(2013)
Transport analysis and source attribution of seasonal and interannual variability of CO in the tropical upper troposphere and lower stratosphere
in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Livesey N
(2008)
Validation of Aura Microwave Limb Sounder O 3 and CO observations in the upper troposphere and lower stratosphere
in Journal of Geophysical Research
Manney G
(2009)
Satellite observations and modeling of transport in the upper troposphere through the lower mesosphere during the 2006 major stratospheric sudden warming
in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Minschwaner K
(2010)
The photochemistry of carbon monoxide in the stratosphere and mesosphere evaluated from observations by the Microwave Limb Sounder on the Aura satellite
in Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres
Pommrich R
(2010)
What causes the irregular cycle of the atmospheric tape recorder signal in HCN?
in Geophysical Research Letters
Pumphrey H
(2021)
Microwave Limb Sounder (MLS) observations of biomass burning products in the stratosphere from Canadian forest fires in August 2017
in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Pumphrey H
(2007)
Validation of middle-atmosphere carbon monoxide retrievals from the Microwave Limb Sounder on Aura
in Journal of Geophysical Research
Pumphrey H
(2009)
An all-sky survey at 230GHz by MLS on Aura
in Advances in Space Research
Pumphrey H
(2008)
Tropical tape recorder observed in HCN
in Geophysical Research Letters
Pumphrey H
(2020)
Stratospheric pollution from Canadian forest fires
Pumphrey H
(2018)
MLS measurements of stratospheric hydrogen cyanide during the 2015-2016 El Niño event
in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Pumphrey H
(2011)
Observation of the exhaust plume from the space shuttle main engines using the microwave limb sounder
in Atmospheric Measurement Techniques
Pumphrey H
(2011)
Microwave Limb Sounder observations of biomass-burning products from the Australian bush fires of February 2009
in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics
Pumphrey H
(2015)
Observations of volcanic SO<sub>2</sub> from MLS on Aura
in Atmospheric Measurement Techniques
Pumphrey H
(2014)
Observations of volcanic SO<sub>2</sub> from MLS on Aura
Randel WJ
(2010)
Asian monsoon transport of pollution to the stratosphere.
in Science (New York, N.Y.)
Tian W
(2010)
Effects of stratosphere-troposphere chemistry coupling on tropospheric ozone
in Journal of Geophysical Research
| Description | This grant studied pollution caused by biomass burning, that is, the burning of forests, crop residues etc. Data used was provided by satellite instruments (mostly the HCN and CO data from the MLS instrument on the Aura satellite). The main discoveries were that (*) The interannual variability in HCN in the stratosphere can be modelled and is caused by year-to-year variability in how much material is burned, and not by variability in the dynamics of the atmosphere (*) About 10%-20% of the emissions from fires reach the free troposphere and upper troposphere (*) Emissions from the Black Saturday fires (Australia, February 2009) reached the stratosphere, where they remained observable for over a month. |
| Exploitation Route | Mostly, the findings will be of use to other researchers working on similar topics. It is to be hoped that they might form part of the scientific evidence for policymaking in the field of biomass burning, although I have no evidence that this has happened so far. The techniques applied to study the Black Saturday fire are currently being applied to the study of volcanic SO2 as measured by MLS. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Communities and Social Services/Policy,Environment |