Science Magazine.
In 2017, western Canadian wildfires injected smoke
into the stratosphere that was detectable by satellites for more than 8 months.
The smoke plume rose from 12 to 23 kilometers within 2 months owing to solar
heating of black carbon, extending the lifetime and latitudinal spread.
Comparisons of model simulations to the rate of observed lofting indicate that
2% of the smoke mass was black carbon. The observed smoke lifetime in the
stratosphere was 40% shorter than calculated with a standard model that does not
consider photochemical loss of organic carbon. Photochemistry is represented by
using an empirical ozone-organics reaction probability that matches the
observed smoke decay. The observed rapid plume rise, latitudinal spread, and
photochemical reactions provide new insights into potential global climate
impacts from nuclear war. More here.
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| Smoke-filled skies over San Diego - fall 2007. Photo by Eric Pettigrew. |
