Satellite remote sensing of biomass burning, dust storms, carbon monoxide, and radiative fluxes: regional and global analysis

Using multi-spectral Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (A VHRR) data, the spatial distribution of smoke aerosols from biomass burning and dust aerosols are detected. Fires from biomass burning are determined using the spectral information from the A VHRR. The regional radiative impact at the top of atmosphere (TOA) are estimated using coincident Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) data and the downward shortwave irradiances are also computed in the presence of biomass aerosols and validated against field measurements. Using empirical relationships, carbon monoxide (CO) concentrations estimated from the A VHRR are compared with space shuttle measurements. Results indicate that biomass burning :frres produce large amounts of smoke aerosols that have a significant regional radiative impact. The instantaneous net radiative forcing is on the order of -24 to -40 W/m2 which indicates a cooling effect at the surface. During April 1994 over tropical Asia, carbon monoxide concentrations range from 160-200 ppbv over active biomass burning areas. Keywords : biomass burning, dust storms, aerosols, radiative forcing, carbon monoxide, A VHRR, MAPS.