Pyro-cumulonimbus injection of smoke to the stratosphere: Observations and impact of a super blowup in northwestern Canada on 3–4 August 1998 ...

• Main Authors: Fromm, Michael, Bevilacqua, Richard, Servranckx, René, Rosen, James, Thayer, Jeffrey P., Herman, Jay, Larko, David
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: AGU 2005
• Subjects: Canada; Norman Wells; Northwest Territories
• Online Access: https://dx.doi.org/10.13016/m2smhb-g6m0; https://mdsoar.org/handle/11603/28632

We report observations and analysis of a pyro-cumulonimbus event in the midst of a boreal forest fire blowup in Northwest Territories Canada, near Norman Wells, on 3–4 August 1998. We find that this blowup caused a five-fold increase in lower stratospheric aerosol burden, as well as multiple reports of anomalous enhancements of tropospheric gases and aerosols across Europe 1 week later. Our observations come from solar occultation satellites (POAM III and SAGE II), nadir imagers (GOES, AVHRR, SeaWiFS, DMSP), TOMS, lidar, and backscattersonde. First, we provide a detailed analysis of the 3 August eruption of extreme pyro-convection. This includes identifying the specific pyro-cumulonimbus cells that caused the lower stratospheric aerosol injection, and a meteorological analysis. Next, we characterize the altitude, composition, and opacity of the post-convection smoke plume on 4–7 August. Finally, the stratospheric impact of this injection is analyzed. Satellite images reveal two noteworthy pyro-cumulonimbus ...