The Influence of Black Carbon Aerosols from Prescribed Fires on Regional Air Quality in the Southeast US

DONGLI WANG, Ren Garity, Andrew Metcalf, Clemson University

     Abstract Number: 464
     Working Group: Biomass Combustion: Outdoor/Indoor Transport and Indoor Air Quality

Abstract
Although typically not as newsworthy as Western US wildfires, biomass burning from prescribed and wild fires impacts the southeastern US to a large degree as well. While prescribed fires help restore and maintain the ecosystem, emissions from prescribed fires lead to air quality degradation. Black carbon (BC) refers to one of the important aerosol emissions from open biomass burning, affecting air quality and human health on regional scale. BC is also an efficient light-absorbing aerosol component in the atmosphere. Optical properties are critical parameters determining the impacts of aerosol emissions on climate and are highly dependent on aerosol composition.

This talk will discuss BC characteristics and aerosol properties at ground level from prescribed fires in the southeastern US, specifically in the Clemson Experimental Forest (CEF) in South Carolina. A Single Particle Soot Photometer (SP2) is employed as the primary measurement of BC aerosol and its number and mass mixing ratios, BC mass and size distributions, and number fractions of coated and uncoated BC aerosol particles. Detailed analysis of SP2 data will be used to determine the mixing state of BC aerosol. A scanning mobility particle sizer (SMPS) is used to measure the total submicron aerosol size distributions. A comprehensive investigation of BC aerosol emissions in context with total aerosol helps complete an emission inventory, predict possible harm to humans and the environment, and predict aerosol optical properties from its composition. The impact of prescribed fires in the CEF on local and regional communities will be assessed.