Wildfires drive interannual variability of organic carbon aerosol in the western U.S. in summer

摘要: [1] Forest wildfire area burned in the western U.S. has increased recent decades resulting a substantial organic carbon (OC) source with large interannual variability. We derive OC emissions from wildfires using data for 1980–2004 and ecosystem specific fuel loadings. For period 1989–2004 we analyze observations IMPROVE network use global chemical transport model to simulate concentrations. Modeled observed concentrations are highly correlated when interannually varying fire (R2 = 0.88); correlation is smaller climatological 0.4). estimate that increase activity after mid 1980s caused mean summer over by 30% relative 1970–1984. In coming decades, climate change will likely cause further increases implications health visibility.