Biomass burning releases considerable amounts of carbonaceous aerosols and greenhouse gases into the atmosphere, significantly impacting air quality. Field measurement of fresh smoke is important in determining key physical and optical properties and emission rates.

The Fire Sciences Lab has developed a mobile lab that provides a platform from which to operate a variety of particulate and gas analyzing instruments at remote fire locations.

PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR

Wei Min Hao, Supervisory Research Chemist

FUNCTION AND OBJECTIVES
Land management agencies need rigorously tested, accurate models to quantify the contribution of fire emissions to air pollution and visibility impairment. Accurately describing and predicting the dynamics of smoke plumes and subsequent aerosol and gas transport is a major uncertainty in determining the impact of fire emissions on air quality. Ground based instruments are deployed to remote fires to acquire measurements of smoke plume dynamics, smoke aerosol distribution and meteorological conditions in, and around, the plumes of active wildland fire events. Measurement results are used to quantitatively evaluate plume rise models and the high-resolution smoke dispersion and air quality forecasting capabilities of our Weather Research and Forecasting – Smoke Dispersion (WRF-SD) modeling system.

Mobile Lab Specifications
Chassis International 4300 diesel, 230 GHP
GVWR 26,000 lb.
Maximum payload 3600 lb.
Passenger capacity 3
Fuel capacity 100 gallons
Vehicle leveling 4 x hydraulic levelers
Lift gate 95”W x 70”L, 1600 lb. capacity
Electrical power 12 kW, 60Hz diesel generator or 125 VAC, 50A shore power
Air conditioning 2 15,000 BTU air conditioners
Instrument capacity 5 19” x 77” instrument racks
Sample ports 5 roof, 3 sidewall, 2 each pump bay
Pump bays 2 underbody, 40”L x 15”H x 24” deep with 115VAC, 20A power