Estimation of non-CO₂ Greenhouse Gases Emissions from Biomass Burning in the Samcheok Large-Fire Area Using Landsat TM Imagery

• Published in: Korean Journal of Agricultural and Forest Meteorology Vol. 10; no. 1
• Main Authors: Won, M.S. (Korea Forest Research Institute, Seoul, Republic of Korea), E-mail: mswon@forest.go.kr, Koo, K.S. (Korea Forest Research Institute, Seoul, Republic of Korea), Lee, M.B. (Korea Forest Research Institute, Seoul, Republic of Korea), Son, Y.M. (Korea Forest Research Institute, Seoul, Republic of Korea)
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: Korean
• Published: 01.03.2008
• Subjects: Biomass burning; Combustion efficiency; Emission factor; FOREST FIRES; INCENDIE DE FORET; INCENDIOS FORESTALES; Landsat TM; Normalized burn ratio
• ISSN: 1229-5671

This study was performed to estimate non-CO₂ greenhouse gases (i.e., GHGs) emission from biomass burning at a local scale. Estimation of non-CO₂ GHGs emission was conducted using Landsat TM satellite imagery in order to assess the damage degree in burnt area and its effect on non-CO₂ GHGs emission. This approach of estimation was based on the protocol of the 2003 IPCC Guidelines. In this study, we used one of the most severe fire cases occurred Samcheock in April, 2004. Landsat TM satellite imageries of pre- and post-fire were used 1) to calculate delta normalized burn ratio (dNBR) for analyzing burnt area and burn severity of the Samcheok large-fire and 2) to quantify non-CO₂ GHGs emission from different size of the burnt area and the damage degree. The analysis of dNBR of the Samcheok large-fire indicated that the total burnt area was 16,200ha and the size of the burnt area differed with the burn severity: out of the total burnt area, the burn severities of Low (dNBR less than 152), Moderate (dNBR = 153-190), and High (dNBR = 191-255) were 35%, 33%, and 32%, respectively. It was estimated that the burnt areas of coniferous forest, deciduous forest, and mixed forest were about 11,506ha (77%), 453ha (3%), and 2,978ha (20%), respectively. The magnitude of non-CO₂ GHGs emissions from the Samcheok large-fire differed significantly, showing 93% of CO (44.100Gg), 6.4% of CH₄ (3.053Gg), 0.5% of NO∧x (0.238Gg), and 0.1% of N₂O (0.038Gg). Although there were little changes in the total burnt area by the burn severity, there were differences in the emission of non-CO₂ GHGs with the degree of the burn severity. The maximum emission of non-CO₂ GHGs occurred in moderate burn severity, indicating 47% of the total emission.