Doubling of annual ammonia emissions from the peat fires in Indonesia during the 2015 El Niño

• Published in: Geophysical research letters 2016-10, Vol.43 (20), p.11,007-11,014
• Main Authors: Whitburn, S., Van Damme, M., Clarisse, L., Turquety, S., Clerbaux, C., Coheur, P.‐F
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air quality; Ammonia; Ammonia emissions; Annual; Area; Assessments; Autumn; Combustion; Depth; El Nino; Emission; Emission analysis; Emission inventories; Emissions; Environmental Sciences; Fires; Fluxes; Forest & brush fires; IASI; Indonesia; Meteorology; NH3; Ocean temperature; Ocean, Atmosphere; Peat; Peat soils; Peatlands; Satellites; Sciences of the Universe; Soil
• ISSN: 0094-8276; 1944-8007
• DOI: 10.1002/2016GL070620

In the autumn of 2015, thousands of square kilometers of forest and peatlands in Indonesia went up in flames. Among the primary species emitted by fires, ammonia (NH3) is of special relevance for air quality. Here we derive daily and total NH3 emission fluxes over the affected area using satellite measurements for the years 2008–2015. The 2015 fires emitted an estimated 1.4–8.2 Tg of NH3 (with a maximum of 0.06–0.33 Tg d−1). On an annual basis, the 2015 NH3 emissions are a factor 2–3 larger than in the previous 7 years. We derive NH3 emission factors for peat soils, which are found to be 2.5–8 times lower than those used in the GFASv1.2 emission inventory but in excellent agreement with those reported in other recent studies. Finally, we estimate that 3.28 × 109 m3 peat soil was consumed during these 2015 fires, corresponding to an average burn depth of 39 cm. Key Points NH3 emissions in Indonesia for 2015 are 2–3 times higher than in the past 7 years IASI‐derived ammonia emission factors for peatlands are 2.5–8 times lower than those used in GFAS First IASI‐derived assessment of peat soil combustion