DFID Know-For: Improving Quantification of Greenhouse Gas, Trace Gas and Particulate Emissions from Sumatran Vegetation and Peatland Burning

This project, in collaboration with experts from King’s College London, involves several scientific measurements of greenhouse gases (GHGs), trace gases and particulate emissions from Sumatran vegetation and peatland burning.

CIFOR scientists will take initial direct measurements of direct GHGs (CO2, CH4), indirect GHGs (for example, CO) and reactive gases (for example, NH3 and CH2O) and also particulate (PM2.5; organic carbon and black carbon) emissions from Indonesian fuels measured in situ on the ground. The focus will be on both Indonesian tropical vegetation and peatland fire areas.

As part of this project, Initial measurements of Indonesian smoke plumes of a subset of the above species (CO2, CO, CH4, particulates) will be measured by a research aircraft. These measurements will be used to elucidate the ratio of peat and vegetation burned (confirming whether the majority of the fuel consumed is indeed from peat fires, as has been suggested but remains unproven).

These measurements will enable the identification of how the consumption of fuels combine to produce the overall smoke plume constituents that go on to form regional haze.

Thirdly, initial measurements of Indonesian smoke plumes are being measured using the Greenhouse Gas Observing Satellite (GOSAT).

These measurements are being used to re-calculate emissions of GHGs, trace gases and particulates from burning in Central and Southern Sumatra between 2013 and 2015, including estimations of uncertainties, and comparisons with current approaches.