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Project ID: 09-1-04-2

Year: 2009

Date Started: 10/01/2009

Ending Date:  07/31/2013

Title: Sub-Canopy Transport and Dispersion of Smoke: A Unique Observation Dataset and Model Evaluation

Project Proposal Abstract: Smoke emissions and dispersion from low intensity and smoldering fires are not well characterized by existing models. The 2008 fires in the organic soils of North Carolina and the extensive fires in California adjacent to heavily populated urban centers have demonstrated the importance of characterizing and modeling smoke and emissions trajectories and concentrations, as well as the importance of smoke dispersion tools which can be easily applied to real-world fire events by fire managers. Comprehensive field programs are required to collect the data to improve emissions and dispersion models but have not been done because of the expense involved in doing the multiple field experiments that are required to obtain robust observation datasets. In this proposal, recent individual field programs, including FireFlux, In-canopy Plume Dynamics, Rapid Response, and Fuel Analyses are combined in a single comprehensive field study to measure in-canopy fire meteorological and thermodynamic parameters, smoke plume transport and dispersion near the active front, and smoldering phase emissions. This unique dataset will provide 1) emissions estimates for the smoldering phase of combustion; 2) near-fire horizontal and vertical smoke transport and dispersion; 3) changes in the below-canopy mixing conditions as the flaming front of the fire moves through the canopy; and 4) pollutant concentrations in and adjacent to the burn perimeter from ignition to smoldering phases. Additional data will characterize the influence of above-canopy winds and atmospheric stability on plume rise. A portion of these data will be used to evaluate a simple puff dispersion model developed for in-canopy plume transport and dispersion. A new pathway through the BlueSky Smoke Modeling Framework will be developed for low-intensity/smoldering emissions and subsequent smoke forecasts. This pathway will include the aforementioned puff model and it will be validated and tested with the data collected in the field from this project or other projects whose data are appropriate for model evaluation. Products will include a new pathway designed specifically for simulating smoke impacts from low-intensity/smoldering fires to assist land managers in characterizing smoke emissions; a database of emissions and smoke behavior from low-intensity/smoldering fires for current and future model evaluation and comparison; and reliable predictions of sub-canopy near source smoke concentrations from low intensity and/or smoldering portions of a fire.

Principal Investigator: Tara M. Strand

Agency/Organization: Forest Service

Branch or Dept: PNW-AirFire Research Team

Other Project Collaborators

Type	Name	Agency/Organization	Branch or Dept
Co-Principal Investigator	Craig B. Clements	San Jose University	Department of Meteorology
Co-Principal Investigator	Brian K. Lamb	Washington State University-Pullman	Department of Civil & Environmental Engineering
Co-Principal Investigator	Robert A. Mickler	Alion Science & Technology Corp.
Co-Principal Investigator	Miriam L. Rorig	Forest Service	PNW-Pacific Northwest Research Station
Federal Cooperator	Brian E. Potter	Forest Service	PNW-Seattle-Managing Natural Disturbances
Federal Fiscal Representative	Tamatha S. Verhunc	Forest Service	PNW-Pacific Northwest Research Station

Project Locations

Consortium

South

Level	State	Agency	Unit
STATE	NC	PRIVATE	Private lands

Project Deliverables

There is no final report available for this project.

	ID	Type	Title

Supporting Documents

There are no supporting documents available for this project.

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