DETERMINATION OF BIOMASS BURNING EMISSION FACTORS - METHODS AND RESULTS

Biomass burning, in a broad sense, encompasses different burning pract ices, including open and confined burnings, and different types of veg etation. Emission factors of gaseous or particulate trace compounds ar e directly dependent both on the fuel type and the combustion process. Emission factors are generally calculated by stoichiometric considera tions using the carbon mass balance method, applied either to combusti on chamber experiments or to field experiments based on ground-level m easurements or aircraft sampling in smoke plumes. There have been a nu mber of experimental studies in the last 10 years to investigate wildf ires in tropical, temperate, or boreal regions. This article presents an overview of measurement methods and experimental data on emission f actors of reactive or radiatively active trace compounds, including tr ace gases and particles. It focuses on fires in tropical regions, that is, forest and savanna fires, agricultural bums, charcoal production, use of fuelwood, and charcoal combustion.