The influence of forest fires on CO, HCN, C2H6, and C2H2 over northern Japan measured by infrared solar spectroscopy

Total column abundances of CO, HCN, C2H6, and C2H2 have been retrieved from infrared solar spectra observed at Moshiri (44.4°N) and Rikubetsu (43.5°N) in northern Japan from 1997 to 2005. The spectra were recorded with high spectral resolution ground-based Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrometers and total column abundances were calculated by SFIT1 version 1.09e. Deviations of these species relative to their seasonal mean values (ΔCO, ΔHCN, ΔC2H6, and ΔC2H2) were derived, which showed short-time enhancements in 1998, 2002, and 2003. Good correlations among ΔCO, ΔHCN, ΔC2H6, and ΔC2H2 in a few months of each year were seen. Since the number of forest fires in Siberia had large enhancements in 1998, 2002, and 2003, trajectory analyses were performed in order to assess the influence of forest fires and it was confirmed that air masses passing over the location of burning points in Siberia reached Moshiri and Rikubetsu. This paper shows that enhancements of these species were driven by biomass burning in Siberia.