Larkin et al, 2009: The BlueSky smoke modeling framework.

Reference:

• Larkin N.K., O'Neill S.M., Solomon R., Raffuse S., Strand T., Sullivan D., Krull C., Rorig M., Peterson J., Ferguson S.A. 2009:  The BlueSky smoke modeling framework.  Inter. J. Wildland Fire, 18, 906-920. 
  

Summary

Smoke from fire is a local, regional and often international issue that is growing in complexity as competition for airshed resources increases.  The BlueSky smoke modeling framework is designed to help address this problem by simulating the smoke impacts from fires.  BlueSky-based predictions are available across the contiguous U.S.

Abstract

Smoke from fire is a local, regional and often international issue that is growing in complexity as competition
for airshed resources increases. BlueSky is a smoke modeling framework designed to help address this problem by enabling
simulations of the cumulative smoke impacts from fires (prescribed, wildland, and agricultural) across a region.Versions of
BlueSky have been implemented in prediction systems across the contiguous US, and land managers, air-quality regulators,
incident command teams, and the general public can currently obtain BlueSky-based predictions of smoke impacts for
their region. A highly modular framework, BlueSky links together a variety of state-of-the-art models of meteorology,
fuels, consumption, emissions, and air quality, and offers multiple model choices at each modeling step. This modularity
also allows direct comparison between similar component models. This paper presents the overall model framework
Version 2.5 – the component models, how they are linked together, and the results from case studies of two wildfires.
Predicted results are affected by the specific choice of modeling pathway. With the pathway chosen, the modeled output
generally compares well with plume shape and extent as observed by satellites, but underpredicts surface concentrations
as observed by ground monitors. Sensitivity studies show that knowledge of fire behavior can greatly improve the accuracy
of these smoke impact calculations.

View

PDF available through IJWF (http://www.publish.csiro.au/journals/ijwf).