Wildfire Emissions Research Shows Tarball Emissions Produce Global Threat
When large wildfires occur, they release a significant number of tarballs, minute emissions from burned biomass, into the atmosphere. Local consequences, such as the physical damage left behind and immediate danger due to devastating temperatures, are easy to notice. However, researchers at Arizona State University are trying to shed light on the global climate consequences of these large wildfires and their associated tarballs.
The occurrence of wildfires is estimated to increase in the future due to climate change. Tarballs comprise roughly 30% of total aerosol emissions in wildfires. Their findings, using transmission electron microscopy, showed that tarball formation is driven through chemical and physical changes occurring only hours after smoke is produced.
With this research, the group hopes to improve the understanding of wildfire emissions interpreted by satellite data and ground observation. Future considerations they wish to apply is using new understandings of tarball shape, viscosity and changes in composition in relation to time to improve climate modeling during wildfires.