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Split Point Analysis and Uncertainty Quantification of Thermal-Optical Organic/Elemental Carbon Measurements
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Dark brown carbon from wildfires: a potent snow radiative forcing agent?
Ganesh S Chelluboyina1, Taveen S Kapoor1, Rajan K Chakrabarty1
1Center for Aerosol Science and Engineering, Department of Energy, Environmental and Chemical Engineering, Washington University in St. Louis, St. Louis, MO USA.
NPJ Climate and Atmospheric Science
|September 2, 2024
Summary
Wildfire smoke darkens snow, accelerating melt. Dark brown carbon (d-BrC) significantly enhances snow warming and melt more than black carbon (BC), impacting glaciers.
Area of Science:
- Atmospheric Science
- Glaciology
- Environmental Science
Background:
- Wildfire smoke deposition darkens snow, leading to faster melting.
- Dark brown carbon (d-BrC) constitutes a major light-absorbing component in wildfire smoke.
- The role of d-BrC in snow warming relative to black carbon (BC) is not well understood.
Purpose of the Study:
- To quantify the impact of d-BrC on snow radiative forcing and melt.
- To compare the snow warming potential of d-BrC with that of BC.
Main Methods:
- Utilized aerosol-snow radiative transfer calculations.
- Incorporated data from laboratory and field measurements.
- Modeled various wildfire smoke deposition scenarios.
Main Results:
- d-BrC significantly increases annual mean snow radiative forcing (0.6–17.9 W m⁻²).
- d-BrC enhances snow warming by 1.6 to 2.1 times compared to BC alone.
- d-BrC contributes substantially to snowmelt, particularly in midlatitude glaciers.
Conclusions:
- d-BrC is a critical factor in wildfire smoke's impact on snowmelt.
- The findings highlight d-BrC's importance for glacier mass balance in midlatitudes.
- Further research on d-BrC is crucial for understanding climate change impacts on snow-covered regions.
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