Numerical simulations examining the possible role of anthropogenic and volcanic emissions during the 1997 Indonesian fires

Abstract

The regional atmospheric chemistry and climate model REMOTE has been used to conduct numerical simulations of the atmosphere during the catastrophic Indonesian fires of 1997. These simulations represent one possible scenario of the event, utilizing the RETRO wildland fire emission database. Emissions from the fires dominate the atmospheric concentrations of O 3, CO, NO 2, and SO 2 creating many possible exceedances of the Indonesian air quality standards. The scenario described here suggests that urban anthropogenic emissions contributed to the poor air quality due primarily to the fires. The urban air pollution may have increased the total number of people exposed to exceedances of the O 3 1-h standard by 17%. Secondary O 3 from anthropogenic emissions enhanced the conversion of SO 2 released by the fires to SO 42-, demonstrating that the urban pollution actively altered the atmospheric behavior and lifetime of the fire emissions. Under the conditions present during the fires, volcanic SO 2 emissions had a negligible influence on surface pollution. © 2010 The Author(s).