Meteorological condition and numerical simulation of the atmospheric transport of pollution emitted by vegetation fires

Abstract

The objective of this study is to investigate the atmospheric transport of gases and particles emitted by forest fires occurring on the Iberian Peninsula, affecting Continental Portugal during the period from 7 to 12 August 2003. The simulations were implemented using the on-line 3-D transport model CATTBRAMS (Coupled Aerosol and Tracer Transport to the Brazilian developments on the Regional Atmospheric Modeling System) coupled to an emission model. The results generated by CATT-BRAMS allow one to describe the local and synoptical condition at the target area. The wind direction from the northeast varying to east over the Iberian Peninsula favored the dislodgment of the smoke plume toward the Atlantic Ocean, distant from the regions with forest fire emissions. © 2010 WIT Press.