Calculating the gaseous and particulate emissions from recent major fires and tracking the transport of these emissions as well as those from major volcanic eruptions. During the latter half of 1997 and the first half of 1998, wild fires devastated areas of Southeast Asia, Central America, and Florida. These fires released to the troposphere large amounts of particulates and gases that contribute to global warming, stratospheric ozone depletion, and acidic precipitation.
Volcanoes also release particulates and gases into the atmosphere.
Volcanic ash clouds of silicate ash particles and sulfur dioxide gas can reach areas of the stratosphere hundreds of kilometers from the site of eruption. In addition to affecting climate and atmospheric chemistry, these clouds often become aviation hazards. As part of my senior thesis at William and Mary and in conjunction with NASA Langley Research Center, I am attempting to calculate the gaseous and particulate emissions from recent fires and track the dispersion trajectories of these emissions as well as emissions from major volcanic eruptions. Using fire maps produced by the USDA Forest Service and a GIS application, the total area burned in Indonesia has been calculated. These area determinations were then used to calculate the total gaseous and particulate emissions for the Indonesian fires.