How much carbon and aerosols are released during Santa Ana fires?

We will collect field data and analyze remote sensing observations from aircraft (Ikhana Wildfire and MASTER) and satellite (ASTER, Landsat, and MODIS) to derive remote sensing algorithms for fire severity. Field campaigns in large recent burns will allow us to relate remote sensing-derived estimates of burn severity to quantitative measures, including combustion completeness (CC) and tree and shrub mortality. We will develop a long-term record of fire severity for southern California using FRAP fire perimeters and Landsat data back to 1984. We will assess the relative importance of ecosystem composition and fire weather in regulating CC and mortality. We will also examine how these variables control the amount of carbon released during large Santa Ana fires.

• Field measurements (UCI and JPL)
• Mapping combustion completeness and mortality from remote sensing data (JPL)
• Controlling factors for combustion completeness, carbon losses, and mortality (UCI)
• Emissions of carbon and aerosols from fires (UCI)