Abstract A new method is developed for the global assessment of the contribution of biomass burning to climate change (trace gases and particulates emission). The method is based directly on remote sensing of the emitted products - particulates. The detected mass of emitted particulates is converted into the mass of the emitted trace gases using published relations between the particulates and trace gases emitted, for the flaming and smoldering phases. The NOAA-AVHRR 1km resolution images, in the visible, near IR, mid-IR and IR channels are used for this purpose. The analysis can be applied to regions where intensive biomass burning takes place. Preliminary analysis of the 1987 burning season shows that in Brazil (between 6.5°–15.5° south and 55°–67° west), during the three months of the dry season, there may be up to 5000 fires a day, observed from space, each contributing 200 ton/hr of CO2, 20 ton/hr of CO and 0.5 ton/hr of CH4 to the atmosphere. During the dry season of 1987, it is estimated that 150,000 fires were burning, resulting in the emission of 6·1012 g of particulates, 1.6·1012 g of CH4, 1014 g of Co and 7·1014 g of CO2. A comparison to estimates of global emission are given.
Remote sensing of biomass burning in the tropics
Advances in Space Research ; 9 , 7 ; 265-268
1989-01-01
4 pages
Article (Journal)
Electronic Resource
English
Remote sensing of biomass burning in the tropics
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