Biomass Burning as a Source of Atmospheric Gases CO, H2, N2O, NO, CH3Cl and COS

Abstract

The potential importance of deforestation and biomass burning for the atmospheric CO2 cycle has received much attention and caused some controversy. Biomass burning can contribute extensively to the budgets of several gases which are important in atmospheric chemistry. In several cases the emission is comparable to the technological source. Most burning takes place in the tropics in the dry season and is caused by man's activities. The potential importance of deforestation and biomass burning for the atmospheric CO2 cycle has received much attention and caused some controversy. In this article we will show the probable importance of biomass burning as a trace gas source, which is caused by man's activities in the tropics. We used the results of our global biomass burning analysis to derive some rough estimates of the sources of the important atmospheric trace gases CO, H2, CH4, N2O, NOx (NO and NO2), COS and CH3Cl from the worldwide burning of biomass.