Using modelled relationships and satellite observations to attribute modelled aerosol biases over biomass burning regions

Zhong, Qirui; Schutgens, Nick; van der Werf, Guido R.; van Noije, Twan; Bauer, Susanne E.; Tsigaridis, Kostas; Mielonen, Tero; Checa-Garcia, Ramiro; Neubauer, David; Kipling, Zak; Kirkevåg, Alf; Olivié, Dirk J. L.; Kokkola, Harri; Matsui, Hitoshi; Ginoux, Paul; Takemura, Toshihiko; Le Sager, Philippe; Rémy, Samuel; Bian, Huisheng; Chin, Mian

doi:10.1038/s41467-022-33680-4

i

Using modelled relationships and satellite observations to attribute modelled aerosol biases over biomass burning regions

2022
By Zhong, Qirui ; Schutgens, Nick ; van der Werf, Guido R. ; ...

Details

Journal Title:

Nature Communications
Personal Author:

Zhong, Qirui ; Schutgens, Nick ; van der Werf, Guido R. ; van Noije, Twan ; Bauer, Susanne E. ; Tsigaridis, Kostas ; Mielonen, Tero ; Checa-Garcia, Ramiro ; Neubauer, David ; Kipling, Zak ; Kirkevåg, Alf ; Olivié, Dirk J. L. ; Kokkola, Harri ; Matsui, Hitoshi ; Ginoux, Paul ; Takemura, Toshihiko ; Le Sager, Philippe ; Rémy, Samuel ; Bian, Huisheng ; Chin, Mian
NOAA Program & Office:

OAR (Oceanic and Atmospheric Research) ; GFDL (Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory)
Description:

Biomass burning (BB) is a major source of aerosols that remain the most uncertain components of the global radiative forcing. Current global models have great difficulty matching observed aerosol optical depth (AOD) over BB regions. A common solution to address modelled AOD biases is scaling BB emissions. Using the relationship from an ensemble of aerosol models and satellite observations, we show that the bias in aerosol modelling results primarily from incorrect lifetimes and underestimated mass extinction coefficients. In turn, these biases seem to be related to incorrect precipitation and underestimated particle sizes. We further show that boosting BB emissions to correct AOD biases over the source region causes an overestimation of AOD in the outflow from Africa by 48%, leading to a double warming effect compared with when biases are simultaneously addressed for both aforementioned factors. Such deviations are particularly concerning in a warming future with increasing emissions from fires.
Keywords:

General Biochemistry, Genetics And Molecular Biology General Chemistry General Physics And Astronomy Multidisciplinary General Biochemistry, Genetics And Molecular Biology General Physics And Astronomy General Biochemistry, Genetics And Molecular Biology General Physics And Astronomy
Source:

Nature Communications, 13(1)
DOI:

https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-022-33680-4
ISSN:

2041-1723
Format:

PDF
Publisher:

Springer Science and Business Media LLC
Document Type:

Journal Article
License:

https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/
Rights Information:

CC BY
Compliance:

Library
Main Document Checksum:

urn:sha256:cf60df7bdb0803891b2ad63b1c0ccc13571a424201e22445943003b98a28c750
Download URL:

https://repository.library.noaa.gov/view/noaa/59137/noaa_59137_DS1.pdf
File Type:

[PDF - 1.71 MB ]

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