Global Warming

Wildfire smoke linked to Arctic melting

The dense plumes of wildfire smoke seen in recent years are contributing to the warming of the Arctic, say scientists. Their study says that particles of “brown carbon” in the smoke are drifting north and attracting heat to the polar region.

Researchers have long been familiar with “black carbon”, the sooty particles that are emitted from diesel engines, coal burning, cooking stoves and other sources. These aerosols, which absorb sunlight and turn it into heat, are known to be the second largest contributor to global warming.

Observational analyses and numerical simulations show that the warming effect of brown carbon aerosols over the Arctic is up to about 30% of that of black carbon. Far more than the estimated 3% previously thought.

The study found that wildfires were the main source of this brown material – contributing twice as much to the warming effect of brown carbon in the Arctic than was coming from fossil fuels. The authors believe that while black soot has played the major role, brown carbon had a hand in the exceptional warming being felt in the Arctic region in recent decades.

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