The atmospheric impact of boreal forest fires in far eastern Siberia on the seasonal variation of carbon monoxide: Observations at Rishiri, a northern remote island in Japan

Observations of carbon monoxide (CO) and ozone (O-3) at the surface have be en made at Rishiri, a northern remote island in Japan. O-3 seasonal variati on shows a spring maximum and summer minimum, which are typically observed at remote mid-latitude regions in the Northern Hemisphere. The seasonal cyc le of CO shows a baseline enhancement and episodic high concentrations duri ng the period from summer to early fall 1998, indicating a strong source of CO nearby. Both Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer and Earth Probe T otal Ozone Mapping Spectrometer satellite images during the same period pro duce clear pictures illustrating severe forest fire events and widespread s moke plumes in far eastern Siberia. Back trajectory analyses suggest that b oreal forest fires in far eastern Siberia had a significant impact on CO ob served at the site from summer to early fall 1998.