TITLE:
Assessment of WRF/Chem Simulated Vertical Distributions of Particulate Matter from the 2009 Minto Flats South Wildfire in Interior Alaska by CALIPSO Total Backscatter and Depolarization Measurements
AUTHORS:
James Michael Madden, Nicole Mölders, Kenneth Sassen
KEYWORDS:
CALIPSO, MODIS, WRF/Chem, Wildfire-Smoke Distribution, Interior Alaska
JOURNAL NAME:
Open Journal of Air Pollution,
Vol.4 No.3,
August
28,
2015
ABSTRACT: This feasibility study examined whether total
backscatter and depolarization measurements from Cloud Aerosol Lidar and
Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observations (CALIPSO) in combination with sparse
surface meteorological data and other information permitted qualitative
assessment of simulated vertical and horizontal distributions of aerosols from
wildfires over Interior Alaska. Comparisons between co-located WRF/Chem
cross-sections and CALIPSO curtains showed temporal and spatial differences in
smoke-plume height above ground, vertical and horizontal extension. Simple
estimates of contributions of errors and processes elucidated that the
different spatial and temporal resolution of model grid-cells and the lidar
scan could provide offsets of the magnitude found in the comparison. The
overestimation of 10 m wind speeds by on average 1.33 m·sǃ contributed
to the offset. Energy estimates suggested that the energy needed for permafrost
thawing may contribute to discrepancies between simulated and CALIPSO indicated
plume height. A sensitivity study with lower emission rates showed similar
features. The study demonstrated that use of CALIPSO data in combination with
data from other sources than air-quality networks could serve for
identification of potential model shortcomings by assessment of magnitudes of
error and process impacts.