As smoke from Canadian wildfires drifts over the state, researchers from the University of Maryland are flying into the smoke plumes to measure atmospheric chemistry. The fires in Quebec have brought health alerts and air-quality warnings to much of the eastern U-S in the past few days. At the same time, Dr. Russ Dickerson and his team at U-M-D’s Department of Atmospheric and Oceanic Science are taking airborne samples of the smoke plume to keep track of the air quality.
"We measure meteorological variables, as well as measure greenhouse gases, soot, ozone, formaldehyde, hydrocarbons. So, we take a lot of samples to try to characterize what's in this smoke plume. And that helps us understand where it came from, and how much of a health threat that it is."
Dickerson says the smoke is full of fine particulate matter, soot, black and brown carbon, and ozone, all of which represent public health risks. He adds this is the worst air quality he’s seen in the Baltimore - Washington area in more than 20 years.
With well over 100 fires burning in Quebec, the prospects for air quality relief in Maryland are reliant on local weather. While a change in wind direction could provide relief for some at the expense of others, Dickerson says rain could wash the smoke out of the atmosphere – but would come with a downside.
"When it's washed out of the atmosphere it becomes a threat to the soils, and to crops and to surface waters, because it's full of oxides of nitrogen, as well as soot, partially oxidized hydrocarbons. Some of these things are carcinogenic. They cause algal blooms, poor water quality. So, even after it washes out, it hasn't gone away forever."
Dickerson says the poor air quality is reminiscent of smog in big cities prior to implementation of the Clean Air Act.
"So, it's a certain irony – in that as we've made wonderful progress, cleaning up industry, power plants, cars and trucks. We've let the climate change. And now it's warmer and drier toward the poles, including in Canada, and they're like a tinderbox."
