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Simulating Pyrocumulonimbus Clouds Using a Multiscale Wildfire Simulation Framework

Journal Article · · Geophysical Research Letters
DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/2024GL114025· OSTI ID:2998658
 [1];  [2];  [2];  [3];  [3];  [4];  [2]
  1. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Desert Research Institute (DRI), Reno, NV (United States)
  2. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
  3. Univ. of California, Irvine, CA (United States)
  4. Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
+ Show Author Affiliations
Pyrocumulonimbus (pyroCb) clouds, driven by extreme fires under favorable meteorological conditions, can inject smoke into the stratosphere at magnitudes comparable to those of moderate volcanic eruptions, potentially altering the global radiative balance and atmospheric composition. However, simulating pyroCb is particularly challenging in Earth system models. Using the Energy Exascale Earth System Model (E3SM), we developed a novel global multiscale framework to model pyroCb events in California, which includes a high-resolution fire radiative power time series, a one-dimensional plume-rise parameterization, a fire-induced vertical water vapor transport scheme, and a surface wildfire sensible heat flux representation. Our simulation successfully reproduces many pyroCb features, including cloud height, spatiotemporal evolution, and convective intensity in comparison with satellite and ground-based observations. Sensitivity experiments show that realistic pyroCb simulation depends on vertical water vapor transport. These advances provide a basis for future exploration of pyroCb impacts at regional and global scales within climate models.
Research Organization:
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States); Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)
Sponsoring Organization:
National Science Foundation (NSF); USDOE Laboratory Directed Research and Development (LDRD) Program; USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Basic Energy Sciences (BES). Scientific User Facilities (SUF); USDOE Office of Science (SC), Biological and Environmental Research (BER). Earth & Environmental Systems Science (EESS)
Grant/Contract Number:
AC02-05CH11231; AC05-76RL01830; AC52-07NA27344; SC0024439
OSTI ID:
2998658
Alternate ID(s):
OSTI ID: 2998268
Report Number(s):
LLNL--JRNL-2001326; PNNL-SA--216960
Journal Information:
Geophysical Research Letters, Journal Name: Geophysical Research Letters Journal Issue: 18 Vol. 52; ISSN 1944-8007; ISSN 0094-8276
Publisher:
American Geophysical Union (AGU)Copyright Statement
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English

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E3SM
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wildfire