Highly Time-Resolved Apportionment of Carbonaceous Aerosols from Wildfire Using the TC-BC Method: Camp Fire 2018 Case...

Area of Science:

• Atmospheric Chemistry
• Air Quality Monitoring
• Wildfire Impact Studies

Background:

• The 2018 Camp Fire caused widespread smoke, impacting air quality and human health across Northern California.
• Assessing the long-range transport and atmospheric impact of wildfire smoke is crucial for understanding air quality.
• Carbonaceous aerosols are key components of wildfire smoke, influencing air quality and climate.

Purpose of the Study:

• To analyze the influence of the Camp Fire smoke on air quality in Berkeley, a site 200 km distant.
• To investigate the evolution of carbonaceous aerosol characteristics during the wildfire event.
• To understand the aging processes of organic carbon (OC) aerosols.

Main Methods:

• High time-resolution measurements of total carbon (TC), black carbon (BC), and organic carbon (OC) were conducted.
• The Carbonaceous Aerosol Speciation System (CASS), including a Total Carbon Analyzer (TCA08) and an Aethalometer (AE33), was utilized.
• Measurements were taken in Berkeley to capture the smoke's impact from the Camp Fire.

Main Results:

• Black carbon (BC) concentrations increased fourfold, and organic carbon (OC) concentrations increased tenfold compared to baseline levels.
• High-time-resolution data enabled the study of OC aging and aerosol evolution during the fire.
• A greater proportion of secondary carbonaceous aerosols was detected in the later stages of the fire, while brown carbon decreased.

Conclusions:

• Camp Fire smoke significantly degraded air quality in Berkeley, with substantial increases in BC and OC.
• The study highlights the dynamic changes in carbonaceous aerosol composition and aging during wildfire events.
• Understanding these aerosol evolution processes is vital for air quality management and health risk assessment.