Biomass fired ash plumes detection and monitoring using the Argentine Meteorological Radar (RMA)

An important number of biomass fires annually affect the Province of Córdoba, Argentina, destroying native forest, plantations, pastures, etc; affecting the air quality and producing important material damages. This research addresses the detection and monitoring of the debris plume generated by a biomass fire using the Argentine Meteorological Radar 1 (RMA1), a double polarimetric Doppler Weather Radar located in Cordoba City. The fire under study affected a surface of 51,12 ha (roughly) located close to Laguna Larga City, Province of Córdoba. The debris plume core reached an average height of 2000 m during a good part of the event, the expulsed particles were displaced by wind, during the measurement period, more than 60 km from the focus of the fire and up to a registered maximum height of 5250 m. The particle characterization is done using different polarimetric variables, allowing to discriminate the debris particles from atmospheric hydrometeors and so, making possible the detection and tracking of them.