Biomass burning as a potential source for atmospheric ice nuclei: Western wildfires and prescribed burns

Although a great deal of effort has focused on characterizing the ice nucleating ability of mineral dusts, less is known about carbonaceous particles. A primary source for carbonaceous IN is from biomass combustion.

Here we report new measurements of IN activity at −30°C and above water saturation from biomass burning generated particles from prescribed burns and wildfires in the western US. These measurements suggest a range of IN activity, with variability largely dependent on the intensity of the fire. Although the fraction of particles generated during burns which serve as IN is quite small, the large numbers of particles generated in fires make biomass burning a potentially important source of IN to the atmosphere.