NASA Mission Explores Clouds Spawned by Wildfires
The Wildhorse grass fire in eastern Idaho erupted with a massive pulse of smoke. No one had expected it, but the wildfire had launched what’s known as a pyrocumulonimbus cloud, or pyroCb. It was an elusive weather phenomenon that scientists on NASA’s INSPYRE (INjected Smoke and PYRocumulonimbus Experiment) campaign spent weeks this summer hunting across […] The post NASA Mission Explores Clouds…
NASA's INSPYRE mission aimed to investigate the phenomenon of pyrocumulonimbus clouds - or pyroCbs - formed by wildfires. One such wildfire, the Wildhorse grass fire in eastern Idaho, produced a massive pulse of smoke that launched a pyroCb. This elusive weather event had been a target of NASA scientists' efforts this summer across western North America, including the Widemouth 2 fire in Utah.
PyroCbs rise above intense fires, generating lightning, rain, and strong winds that can exacerbate the flames. The largest pyroCbs can loft smoke 30,000 to 50,000 feet above Earth's surface, high enough to reach the stratosphere. In the stratosphere, the smoke can spread across continents, circle the globe, and remain in the atmosphere far longer than it would in lower altitudes.
The significance of pyroCbs was recognized in the early 21st century when satellite observations revealed smoke reaching altitudes previously associated with major volcanic eruptions. Once in the stratosphere, pyroCb smoke can disperse far and wide, impacting climate and weather patterns beyond the direct vicinity of the fire.
Despite their size, pyroCbs remain a mystery. Understanding their formation and atmospheric connections is crucial, as their smoke can influence climate and weather patterns far from the source of the fire, and even after the fire has been extinguished. Additionally, pyroCbs can generate dangerous fire-generated winds. NASA's ER-2 aircraft supported the INSPYRE campaign, deploying from Great Falls, Montana, during its research missions.
Written by urgent.news from NASA Science's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
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- NASA Campaign Explores Clouds Spawned by Wildfires science.nasa.gov
