Trace Gas and Aerosols Emissions from Biomass Burning in Brazil

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Biomass burning worldwide is a significant source of a number of important atmospheric trace gases (e.g., C0, C02, CH4, NH3) and aerosols. It therefore plays an important role in atmospheric chemistry and, possibly, in the radiative balance of the earth. The purpose of this research is to improve quantitative estimates for the emissions of a number of trace gases and aerosols from biomass burning in tropical forests, which is probably the largest source of emissions from biomass burning worldwide. Airborne measuring techniques which have been applied successfully by this research group to studies of biomass burning in North America and the 1991 Kuwait oil fires, will be used to measure the masses of various gases and aerosols emitted into the atmosphere per unit mass of fuel burned from various types of fires in Brazil. These measurements will be used to improve estimates of global emissions of the measured species from biomass burning in the tropics. The chemical composition, cloud condensation nucleus activity, and time evolution of the aerosols from the fires will also be measured. These studies will form part of a larger investigations of both the physical and chemical properties and effects on the atmosphere of biomass burning in Brazil. The funds provided by NSF will support the chemical component of the overall study.