Laboratory investigation of fire radiative energy and smoke aerosol emissions

Fuel biomass samples from southern Africa and the United States were burned in a laboratory combustion chamber while measuring the biomass consumption rate, the fire radiative energy (FRE) release rate (Rfre), and the smoke concentrations of carbon monoxide (CO), carbon dioxide (CO2), and particulate matter (PM). The PM mass emission rate (RPM) was quantified from aerosol optical thickness (AOT) derived from smoke extinction measurements using a custom‐made laser transmissometer. TheRPMandRfretime series for each fire were integrated to total PM mass and FRE, respectively, the ratio of which represents its FRE‐based PM emission coefficient (CePM). A strong correlation (r2= 0.82) was found between the total FRE and total PM mass, from which an averageCePMvalue of 0.03 kg MJ−1was calculated. This value agrees with those derived similarly from satellite‐borne measurements ofRfreand AOT acquired over large‐scale wildfires.