Pyrocumulonimbus Events over British Columbia, 2017: The Long-term Transport and Radiative Impacts of Smoke Aerosols in the Stratosphere

• DOI: 10.5194/egusphere-egu2020-11119
• Publication Date: 2020-03-09T21:42:26Z
• Authors: Sampa Das; Peter Colarco; Luke Oman; Ghassan Taha; Omar Torres
• Keywords: Tropopause; AERONET

<p>Interactions of meteorology with wildfires in British Columbia, Canada during August 2017 led to several extreme pyrocumulonimbus (PyroCb) events that resulted the injection smoke aerosols and other combustion products into lower stratosphere. These plumes stratospheric were observed by many satellite instruments have elevated values aerosol extinction backscatter compared background state readily tracked as they spread across Northern Hemisphere resided stratosphere for about ten months following fires. To investigate radiative impacts these on Earth system, we performed a number simulations Goddard Observing System (GEOS) global system model, which includes detailed chemistry packages coupled underlying model physical dynamical cores. Retrievals properties from space-based OMPS/NPP, SAGE-III/ISS, CALIOP/CALIPSO used calibrate location, timing, amount, optical aerosols. The resulting three-dimensional transport evaluated over year injections using observations OMPS-Limb Profiler (LP), provides retrievals at high temporal vertical resolution altitudes greater than 10 km. We found diabatic heating due absorption, combined large-scale atmospheric motions, play important roles lifting near tropopause 22 km atmosphere. was able simulate rate plume ascent middle stratosphere, hemispherical residence time close agreement OMPS-LP. Finally, also investigated impact PyroCb emitted forcing subsequent temperature tendencies.</p>