Regional and intercontinental modelling - Air Pollution Modeling and Its Application - page 166

2.15 Predicting the Regional Air Quality Impacts

of Prescribed Burns

M. Talat Odman 1 * , Yongtao Hu 1 , D. Scott McRae 2 , Scott L. Goodrick 3 ,
Yongqiang Liu 3 , Gary L. Achtemeier 3 , and Luke P. Naeher 4

1

School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta,
GA 30332-0512, USA
2

Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, North Carolina State University,
Raleigh, NC 27695-7910, USA
3

Forestry Sciences Laboratory, USDA Forest Service, Athens, GA, 30602-2044, USA

4

College of Public Health, University of Georgia, Athens, GA 30602-7396, USA

Abstract Prescribed burning plumes are not sufficiently resolved in current modeling
systems; therefore, their regional impacts cannot be accurately predicted. A modeling
system is being developed to better characterize the emissions from the burns and
the dispersion and chemical transformation of the smoke plumes. Adaptive grids
are used to increase the resolution of regional-scale models and a Lagrangian
plume model is employed to model the sub-grid scale plume dynamics. Simulations
of a prescribed burn conducted at Fort Benning, Georgia on 9 April 2008 show
that the new system significantly improves the predictions of downwind pollutant
levels over conventional modeling systems.

Keywords Adaptive grid, sub-grid scales, coupled models, particulate matter

1. Introduction

Prescribed burning (PB) is an economical way of maintaining and improving the
ecosystem and reducing wildfire risk. However, pollutants emitted from the fires
may be transported long distances, mix with emissions from other sources, and
contribute to air quality problems in downwind urban areas. Accurate predictions
of PB impacts can help land managers continue their operations without endangering
public health.
Biomass burning plumes are not well resolved in current air quality modeling
systems due to insufficient grid resolution and inadequate sub-grid scale treat-
ments. A modeling system is being developed to address these weaknesses. The
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