Particulate matter Particulate matter measurements measurements from the Canadian Forest from the Canadian Forest firesfires

S. Sharma, B. Wiens, D. LavouéS. Sharma, B. Wiens, D. Lavoué

D. Toom-Sauntry, D. Halpin, J. D. Toom-Sauntry, D. Halpin, J. Brook, L. Huang, S. Gong and A. Brook, L. Huang, S. Gong and A.

GaudenziGaudenzi1). PNR Research (Wiens) – Prescribed burns of forest and agricultural sites.

2). Measurements of processed aerosols at Fraserdale, a Boreal Forest location (Sharma).

Objectives:Objectives: To speciate and quantify the contribution of biomass To speciate and quantify the contribution of biomass

burning (forest fires) at the three Canadian locations such burning (forest fires) at the three Canadian locations such as Fraserdale in Ontario, Brazeau river (Jasper National as Fraserdale in Ontario, Brazeau river (Jasper National Park) and Yoho National Park in Alberta.Park) and Yoho National Park in Alberta.

To better quantify the emissions factors of elemental To better quantify the emissions factors of elemental carbon (EC) and organic carbon (OC) from prescribed burn carbon (EC) and organic carbon (OC) from prescribed burn of a forested boreal region and some agricultural crops.of a forested boreal region and some agricultural crops.

To understand the occurrence, atmospheric chemistry and To understand the occurrence, atmospheric chemistry and potential impacts on climate and air quality issues of PM potential impacts on climate and air quality issues of PM by forest fires, natural emissions by the forest and the by forest fires, natural emissions by the forest and the fossil fuel combustion at Fraserdale.fossil fuel combustion at Fraserdale.

To use To use 1313C/C/1212C to source apportion for EC & OC.C to source apportion for EC & OC.

Expected Sampling Site in Expected Sampling Site in BrazeauBrazeau1. Brazeau Prescribed Burn1. Brazeau Prescribed Burn

Two Sampling periodsTwo Sampling periods Flaming and Smouldering phases at one sampling siteFlaming and Smouldering phases at one sampling site

Three camera sites for multi-axis fire imagery Three camera sites for multi-axis fire imagery Collaborating with Parks Canada and Sustainable Resource Collaborating with Parks Canada and Sustainable Resource Development (AB)Development (AB)No Burns this fall due to wet conditions and labour disputeNo Burns this fall due to wet conditions and labour dispute

PNR 04/05 Fire Research

Monitoring PackageMonitoring Package Mini Vol samplers (47 mm filter; 5 Mini Vol samplers (47 mm filter; 5

litres/min)litres/min) Three simultaneous samplesThree simultaneous samples

– Teflon-quartz pair (gravimetric, elements and Teflon-quartz pair (gravimetric, elements and – Two quartz (EC/OC and PAH’s)Two quartz (EC/OC and PAH’s)

LiCor LiCor 820 CO2 Analyzer820 CO2 Analyzer GasAlertMax (HGasAlertMax (H22S, CO, OS, CO, O22)) Temp, RH, windspeedTemp, RH, windspeed No VOC sampling No VOC sampling

2. Agricultural burn site: Bratts Lake2. Agricultural burn site: Bratts Lake

Agricultural ResidueAgricultural Residue

Flax residue typically burned in autumnFlax residue typically burned in autumn Arrangements made for field near Bratts Arrangements made for field near Bratts

Lake BSRN stationLake BSRN station Use same monitors as ForestUse same monitors as Forest Supplemented by extensive Supplemented by extensive

instrumentation at Bratts Lakeinstrumentation at Bratts Lake Burn anticipated in October (depends Burn anticipated in October (depends

on weather and crop insurance)on weather and crop insurance) Potentially second burn of grain strawPotentially second burn of grain straw

3. Fraserdale, Remote site in Northern Ontario (Southern perimeter of Hudson Bay Lowland)

Sources: WinterArctic haze, ski-doos,Local wood burning,

Transport from cities and towns

SummerVegetation, logging trucks,

Forest fires,Transport from cities and towns

M. S. C.

Sampling Manifold

30 Feet above ground

4 filter-pack system

2.5 m size-cut Quartz fiber filter

for chemical analysis

2.5m size-cutZefluor (teflon)

for mass

TSP Zefluor (Teflon)

for mass

TSPQuartz fiberfor chemical

analysis

Sampling Manifold

Flow=16.7 slpm

Blank

Particle Soot Absorption Photometer

Flow controllers

Data collection

Measurements

Method

Filter medium

Status

P.I.

EC/OC Isotopes

Thermal Optical Transmittance

Quartz fiber

March 31, 2005

J. Brook L. Huang

Water soluble TOC

Shimadzu

Quartz fiber

March 31, 2005

D. Toom-Sauntry/Halpin

PAH: Retene Levoglucasan

Thermal desorption/GC-MSD

Quartz fiber

March 31, 2005

J. Brook

BC

Optical measurement by PSAP

Quartz fiber

QA complete

S.Sharma/Gaudenzi

Total mass

Gravimetric

Zefluor filters

March 31, 2005

CAPMoN

Inorganic/organic ion analysis

Ion Chromatography

Zeflour filters

March 31, 2005

D.Toom-Sauntry /Halpin

Measurements and status:

Historical BC data from 1990-1996 has been quality controlled.

FraserdaleNov. 2002-Aug. 2003

BC

, ng

m-3

-2000

0

2000

4000

6000

8000

10000

12000

14000

CO

, pp

bv

-200

0

200

400

Jan01 Mar14 May26 Aug07

Black carbon and CO

CO measured by Doug Worthy’s group

400 ng/m3

Preliminary Results:I. Measurements

background

2003 Eastern Canada Fires

BC(g m-3)

0

2

4

6

8

10

CO(ppbv)

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Back-trajectories

Transport fromN.W. Ontario

Transport from Central Quebec

Weekly integrated PM2.5 inorganic analysis at Fraserdale from Jan 10-Oct 02, 2003.

Ca+2

(g m-3)

0.00

0.01

0.02

0.03

0.04

0.05

K+

(g m-3)

0.00

0.05

0.10

0.15

NH4+

(g m-3)

0.0

0.5

1.0

1.5

2.0

0.0

0.2

0.4

0.6

0.8

0

1

2

3

0

3

6

9

12

15

18

EC

(g m-3)

OC

(g m-3)

Mass

(g m-3)

SO42-

(g m-3)

0

2

4

6

Oxalate

(g m-3)

0

1

2

NO3-

(g m-3)

0.00

0.07

0.14

0.21

Golden Ears Park: Oxa=0.15 g/m3, SO42- <2 µg/m3, NH4

+ <1 g/m3, NO3-<0.5 µg/m3

EC= 2 g/m3, OC=15 µg/m3

Inorganic analysis

PM2.5 aerosol composition

at Fraserdale

Jan10Feb07

Mar07Apr07

May09Ju06

Jul04Aug01

Sep05Oct02

%

0

20

40

60

80

100

120

SO42-

unkown

EC

POM

NH4+

NO3-

Oxa

Carbonaceous aerosols contribute up to 40% of PM 2.5

Carbon Isotopic Distribution in PM2.5

Samples (Fraserdale, May - Aug. 2003)

-30.00-25.00-20.00-15.00-10.00

-5.000.00

16-May 13-Jun 20-Jun 1-Aug 15-Aug

Time

d13C

VP

DB

OC EC

Isotopic EC & OC in PMIsotopic EC & OC in PM2.52.5

Forest fires

Isotopic EC & OC (TSP)Isotopic EC & OC (TSP)

Isotopic Distribution of TSP Sample (Fraserdale, May -Aug. 2003)

-30.00-25.00

-20.00-15.00-10.00

-5.000.00

16-May 13-Jun 20-Jun 1-Aug 15-Aug

Time

d13C

VP

DB

OC ECForest fires

Hourly BC Emissions

Elapsed time since ignition (hours)

Are

a bu

rned

(he

ctar

es)

sigmoidal fire growth diurnal variability

• Area Burned (A)

Emissions(X) = A . (ß . B) . EF(X)

• Average and constant fuel consumption amount by ecoregion (.B)

3. Modeling

tonnes (x10)

BC Emissions, 25 June 2003 – 1800Z

BC Plume, 27 June 2003 – 0000Z

in 1E-10 kg/kg (to convert to g m-3, multiply by 1.16x109)

knots

Black Carbon, Canada

0

20,000

40,000

60,000

80,000

100,000

120,000

140,000

160,000

180,000

200,000

1970

1971

1972

1973

1974

1975

1976

1977

1978

1979

1980

1981

1982

1983

1984

1985

1986

1987

1988

1989

1990

1991

1992

1993

1994

1995

1996

1997

1998

BC

(t)

30%

PM2.5 Emissions in 1995

(tonnes)

Canadian Large Fires, 1960-99

Future work:

1) Chemical analysis of all samples until Oct. 2004 sample period.

2) Transport modeling with CAM in RCM and/or GEM at a higher grid resolution.

3) Finally modeling (emission and transport) for 1990-1996 BC measurements.

4) Slight chance that prescribed burn might take place in the spring, 05.

A subset of this work was also presented at the “8th International Carbonaceous aerosol meeting”, held in Vienna in Sept. 2004.