Satellite-Observed Impacts of Wildfires on Regional Atmosphere Composition and the Shortwave Radiative Forcing: A Multiple Case Study

Emissions of aerosols and trace gases from wildfires and their direct shortwave radiative forcing (DSRF) at the top of atmosphere were studied using satellite observations from Moderate-Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer, Atmospheric Infrared Sounder, Clouds and Earth Radiant Energy System on Aqua, and Ozone Monitoring Instrument on Aura. The dominant fuel types of the selected fire cases in the northeast of China (NEC), Siberia (Russia), and California (USA) are cropland, mixed forest, and needle-leaf forest, respectively. For the cropland fire case in NEC, the fire radiative power-based emission coefficients (Ce) of aerosol is 20.51 ± 2.55 g/MJ, half that of the forest fire cases in Siberia (40.01 ± 9.21 g/MJ) and California (45.23 ± 8.81 g/MJ), and the carbon monoxide (CO) Ce (23.94 ± 11.83 g/MJ) was about one third and half that of the forest fire cases in Siberia and California, respectively. However, the NOx (NO2 + NO) Ce (2.76 ± 0.25g MJ−1) of the cropland fire in NEC was nearly 3 times that of those forest fire cases. Ratios of NOx to aerosol, HCHO, and CO in the cropland case in NEC show much higher values than those in the forest fire cases. Despite the differences of the Ce and the composition ratios, the DSRF efficiency of smoke aerosol at the top of atmosphere showed similar values among those fire cases. Our results highlight the large variability of emission rate and relative chemical composition but similar DSRF efficiencies among wildfires, which would provide valuable information for understanding the impact of fire on air quality and climate