Fine Ash?Bearing Particles as a Major Aerosol Component in Biomass Burning Smoke

Biomass burning (BB) events are occurring globally with increasing frequency, and their emissions having more impacts on human health climate. Large ash particles recognized as a BB product major influences soil water environments. However, fine-ash particles, which have diameters smaller than several microns characteristic morphologies compositions (mainly Ca Mg carbonates), not yet been explicitly considered aerosol component either in field observations or climate models. This study measured samples using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) ion chromatography during the Fire Influence Regional to Global Environments Air Quality (FIREX-AQ) campaign. We show that significant amounts of fine ash-bearing transported >100 km from fire sources. Our environmental chamber experiments suggest they can act cloud condensation ice nuclei. also found considerable TEM collected previous campaigns (Biomass Burning Observation Project Megacity Initiative: Local Research Observations). These commonly mixed organic matter make up ?8% 5% smoke by number mass, respectively, FIREX-AQ The ash-mass concentrations approximately five times six greater those black carbon potassium, scaling an estimated global emission 11.6 Tg yr?1 range 8.8–16.3 yr?1. Better characterization constraints these will improve measurements strengthen assessments