Climate, Fire, and Carbon Cycle SciencesResearch Work Unit NRS-06

Silas Little Experimental ForestNew Jersey

Rich Birdsey (project leader, Newtown Square, PA)Warren Heilman (Group Leader)Jay Charney (Research MeteorologistXindi Bian (Meteorologist)

Evaluation of Computational Methods for the Low Elevation Haines Index.

Potential Future Changes in the Atmospheric Component of Fire Risk.

Haines Index Climatology using the North American Regional Reanalysis

FIREFLUX Experiment

A modular modeling system that enables fire information, consumption, and smoke modeling.

Lesley Fusina, Sharon Zhong. Jay Charney and Xindi Bian

Evaluate model predictions of smoke using observational data from the October 2007 Southern California Wildfire outbreaks. The results indicate that while smoke models can currently predict smoke trajectories, the timing of smoke impacts and predictions of ground concentrations need improvement.

Impacts of Land Management on the Climate System

Research ParticipantsPrincipal InvestigatorWarren E. Heilman, Research Meteorologist, US Forest Service Northern Research Station David Hollinger, Plant Physiologist, US Forest Service Northern Research Station Ken Clark, Research Forester, US Forest Service Northern Research Station Xindi Bian, US Forest Service Northern Research Station Richard Birdsey, Project Leader, US Forest Service Northern Research Station Yude Pan, Research Forester, US Forest Service Northern Research Station Research PartnersSharon Zhong, Atmospheric Scientist, Michigan State University Xiuping Li, Visiting Scientist, Michigan State University

Development of Modeling Tools for Predicting Smoke Dispersion from Low-Intensity Fires

Principal Investigator: Warren E. Heilman

Type Name Agency/Organization Branch or Dept

Co-Principal Investigator Joseph J. Charney Forest Service NRS-Forest-Atmosphere-Ecosystem Interactions

Co-Principal Investigator John L. Hom Forest Service NRS-Northern Research Station

Co-Principal Investigator Shiyuan (Sharon) Zhong Michigan State University Geography

OSU RAFLES Model

Plow lines (Ignitions along lines from south to north)

Pine overstory, Vaccinium with Oak understory 265 Acres

Wind Direction

N Original Experimental DesignNJ Pine Barrens

30 m Tower20 m Tower

10 m Tower3 m Tower

PM2.5 MonitorSODAR

Ambient measurements1 km NW of burn site

Air Stagnation Advisory Research

JSFP RAWS project

Investigating the differences between the gridded meteorological fields produced by the Real Time Mesoscale Analysis (RTMA) and observed meteorological conditions at Remote Automated Weather Stations (RAWS) in the northeastern United States.

The differences will be analyzed and tools developed to improve the interpretation of NWS fire weather forecasts and clarify their role in fire management decision making.

Jay CharneySharon ZhongMike Kiefer