Estimation of carbon emissions from wildfires in Alaskan boreal forests using AVHRR data
- Environmental Research Institute of Michigan, Ann Arbor (United States)
The objectives of this research study were to evaluate the utility of using AVHRR data for locating and measuring the areal extent of wildfires in the boreal forests of Alaska and to estimate the amount of carbon being released during these fires. Techniques were developed to using the normalized difference vegetation signature derived from AVHRR data to detect and measure the area of fires in Alaska. A model was developed to estimate the amount of biomass/carbon being stored in Alaskan boreal forests, and the amount of carbon released during fires. The AVHRR analysis resulted in detection of > 83% of all forest fires greater than 2,000 ha in size in the years 1990 and 1991. The areal estimate derived from AVHRR data were 75% of the area mapped by the Alaska Fire Service for these years. Using fire areas and locations for 1954 through 1992, it was determined that on average, 13.0 gm-C-m-2 of boreal forest area is released during fires every year. This estimate is two to six times greater than previous reported estimates. Our conclusions are that the analysis of AVHRR data represents a viable means for detecting and mapping fires in boreal regions on a global basis.
- OSTI ID:
- 6145213
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-930798--
- Journal Information:
- Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America; (United States), Journal Name: Bulletin of the Ecological Society of America; (United States) Vol. 74:2; ISSN BECLAG; ISSN 0012-9623
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
095000 -- Biomass Fuels-- Environmental Aspects-- (1990-)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
540110
540120* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (1990-)
AIR-BIOSPHERE INTERACTIONS
ALASKA
BIOMASS
BOREAL REGIONS
CARBON
CARBON SOURCES
DEVELOPED COUNTRIES
ELEMENTS
ENERGY SOURCES
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
FIRES
FORESTS
MAPPING
MASS TRANSFER
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
NONMETALS
NORTH AMERICA
RENEWABLE ENERGY SOURCES
USA