An evaluation of modeled plume injection height with satellite-derived observed plume height

Abstract

Plume injection height influences plume transport characteristics, such as range and potential for dilution. We evaluated plume injection height from a predictive wildland fire smoke transport model over the contiguous United States (U.S.) from 2006 to 2008 using satellite-derived information, including plume top heights from the Multi-angle Imaging SpectroRadiometer (MISR) Plume Height Climatology Project and aerosol vertical profiles from the Cloud-Aerosol Lidar with Orthogonal Polarization (CALIOP). While significant geographic variability was found in the comparison between modeled plumes and satellite-detected plumes, modeled plume heights were lower overall. In the eastern U.S., satellite-detected and modeled plume heights were similar (median height 671 and 660 m respectively). Both satellite-derived and modeled plume injection heights were higher in the western U.S. (2345 and 1172 m, respectively). Comparisons of modeled plume injection height to satellite-derived plume height at the fire location (R² = 0.1) were generally worse than comparisons done downwind of the fire (R² = 0.22). This suggests that the exact injection height is not as important as placement of the plume in the correct transport layer for transport modeling.

Citation

Raffuse, Sean M.; Craig, Kenneth J.; Larkin, Narasimhan K.; Strand, Tara T.; Sullivan, Dana Coe; Wheeler, Neil J.M.; Solomon, Robert. 2012. An evaluation of modeled plume injection height with satellite-derived observed plume height. Atmosphere. 3: 103-123.