This project will implement fast particle size distributions measurements during the 4th Fire Lab at Missoula Experiment (FLAME IV) Study. The measurements will be made with a Fast Mobility Particle Sizer (FMPS) that is (1) capable of measuring the size range of interest for fresh smoke aerosols, (2) has fast time response that will be useful for all burns, and (3) is capable of measuring high concentrations. These are all characteristics of the aerosol produced by biomass burns in the FLAME experiments, particularly stack burn experiments of relatively short duration (minutes to tens of minutes from ignition to flame out and smoldering). The measurements will be complementary to those of several other investigators that include ice nuclei and evolution of secondary organic aerosols from the burn emissions. The research will help to elucidate fundamental physicochemical properties of biomass smoke, important to health and climate impacts of smoke aerosols.
The project is a unique collaboration between private sector and academic partners that has potential to lead to further developments in this arena. Broader impacts center on the continuation of FLAME collaborations begun a decade ago between the principal investigator and the other investigators on the project. Although students are not directly supported, it is anticipated that informal learning opportunities and collaborations with students working as part of the FLAME study will develop. Moreover, results to date from the principal investigator's research and work activities have been successfully integrated into the classroom in his adjunct faculty position at Front Range Community College and into seminars presented at regional air quality meetings and at nearby institutions of higher learning. The project will enhance collaborations within the regional air quality research and education community.
Biomass smoke from wildland fire is an emerging concern for impacts on visibility, climate feedbacks (particularly via cloud impacts), human health, and air quality regulatory compliance. Fundamental smoke microphysical and chemical properties play a large role in determining these impacts. The Fire Lab at Missoula Experiments (FLAME) have produced a wealth of knowledge regarding fresh biomass smoke physicochemical properties. The FLAME IV experiment was a multi-investigator project occurring at the USFS Missoula, MT Fire Science Lab in fall 2012 and funded by NASA, NSF and other agencies. FLAME IV probed a range of globally important biomass fuel types and employed relevant variations in combustion conditions (e.g. flaming vs. smoldering) allowing examination of these influences. Previous FLAME studies lacked a suitable particle sizing method for detecting rapid changes in smoke particle size characteristics during the course of a burn experiment. This work implemented fast particle size distributions measurements during the FLAME IV Study. The measurements were made with a Fast Mobility Particle Sizer (FMPS, Model 3091, TSI Inc.) that is owned by AECOM, Inc. The FMPS instrument is (1) capable of measuring the size range of interest for fresh smoke aerosols, (2) has fast time response that will be useful for all burns, and (3) is capable of measuring high concentrations. These are all characteristics of the aerosol produced by biomass burns in the FLAME experiments, particularly the stack burn experiments of relatively short duration (minutes to tens of minutes from ignition to flame out and smoldering). The measurements were complementary to those of Colorado State University, Carnegie-Mellon, the University of Montana/USFS, and other investigators that include ice nuclei and evolution of secondary organic aerosols from the burn emissions. The research helps elucidate fundamental physicochemical properties of biomass smoke, important to health and climate impacts of smoke aerosols. The project was a unique collaboration between industry and academic partners that has potential to lead to further developments in this arena. Broader impacts center on the continuation of FLAME collaborations begun a decade ago between the PI and the other investigators on the project. The project helps develop partnerships between industry and academic partners, as the PI recently joined the private sector. Although students are not directly supported, informal learning opportunities and collaborations with students working as part of the FLAME study developed. Moreover, results to date from the PI’s research and work activities have been successfully integrated into the classroom in his adjunct faculty position at Front Range Community College. Result from the project were presented at several conferences as listed in the project report. The project led to continuing collaborations between the PI and the air quality research and education community.
