Publication Date:
2016-06-05
Description:
The Rim Fire of 2013, the third largest area burned by fire recorded in California history, is simulated by a climate model coupled with a size-resolved aerosol model. Modeled aerosol mass, number and particle size distribution are within variability of data obtained from multiple airborne in-situ measurements. Simulations suggest Rim Fire smoke may block 4-6% of sunlight energy reaching the surface, with a dimming efficiency around 120-150 W m -2 per unit aerosol optical depth in the mid-visible at 13:00-15:00 local time. Underestimation of simulated smoke single scattering albedo at mid-visible by 0.04 suggests the model overestimates either the particle size or the absorption due to black carbon. This study shows that exceptional events like the 2013 Rim Fire can be simulated by a climate model with one-degree resolution with overall good skill, though that resolution is still not sufficient to resolve the smoke peak near the source region.
Print ISSN:
0148-0227
Topics:
Geosciences
,
Physics