Holocene Grassland Fire Dynamics and Forcing Factors in Continental Interior of China

2020 ◽  
Vol 47 (13) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jianyong Li ◽  
Ninglian Wang
Keyword(s):  
Fire Dynamics ◽  
Grassland Fire ◽  
Continental Interior

scholarly journals Development of a Field Deployable Firebrand Flux and Condition Measurement System

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simone Zen ◽  
Jan C. Thomas ◽  
Eric V. Mueller ◽  
Bhisham Dhurandher ◽  
Michael Gallagher ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Imaging Techniques ◽  
Time History ◽  
Infrared Camera ◽  
Thermal Conditions ◽  
Particle Characterization ◽  
Fire Dynamics ◽  
Rate Of Spread ◽  
New Instrument ◽  
History Of

AbstractA new instrument to quantify firebrand dynamics during fires with particular focus on those associated with the Wildland-Urban Interface (WUI) has been developed. During WUI fires, firebrands can ignite spot fires, which can rapidly increase the rate of spread (ROS) of the fire, provide a mechanism by which the fire can pass over firebreaks and are the leading cause of structure ignitions. Despite this key role in driving wildfire dynamics and hazards, difficulties in collecting firebrands in the field and preserving their physical condition (e.g. dimensions and temperature) have limited the development of knowledge of firebrand dynamics. In this work we present a new, field-deployable diagnostic tool, an emberometer, designed to provide measurement of firebrand fluxes and information on both the geometry and the thermal conditions of firebrands immediately before deposition by combining a visual and infrared camera. A series of laboratory experiments were conducted to calibrate and validate the developed imaging techniques. The emberometer was then deployed in the field to explore firebrand fluxes and particle conditions for a range of fire intensities in natural pine forest environments. In addition to firebrand particle characterization, field observations with the emberometer enabled detailed time history of deposition (i.e. firebrand flux) relative to concurrent in situ fire behaviour observations. We highlight that deposition was characterised by intense, short duration “showers” that can be reasonably associated to spikes in the average fire line intensity. The results presented illustrate the potential use of an emberometer in studying firebrand and spot fire dynamics.

scholarly journals Holocene vegetation, fire and land use dynamics at Lake Svityaz, an agriculturally marginal site in northwestern Ukraine

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christoph Schwörer ◽  
Erika Gobet ◽  
Jacqueline F. N. van Leeuwen ◽  
Sarah Bögli ◽  
Rachel Imboden ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Bronze Age ◽  
Human Impact ◽  
Central Europe ◽  
Large Scale ◽  
Mixed Forest ◽  
Fire Risk ◽  
Late Glacial ◽  
Future Climate Change ◽  
Agricultural Activity ◽  
Fire Dynamics

AbstractObserving natural vegetation dynamics over the entire Holocene is difficult in Central Europe, due to pervasive and increasing human disturbance since the Neolithic. One strategy to minimize this limitation is to select a study site in an area that is marginal for agricultural activity. Here, we present a new sediment record from Lake Svityaz in northwestern Ukraine. We have reconstructed regional and local vegetation and fire dynamics since the Late Glacial using pollen, spores, macrofossils and charcoal. Boreal forest composed of Pinus sylvestris and Betula with continental Larix decidua and Pinus cembra established in the region around 13,450 cal bp, replacing an open, steppic landscape. The first temperate tree to expand was Ulmus at 11,800 cal bp, followed by Quercus, Fraxinus excelsior, Tilia and Corylus ca. 1,000 years later. Fire activity was highest during the Early Holocene, when summer solar insolation reached its maximum. Carpinus betulus and Fagus sylvatica established at ca. 6,000 cal bp, coinciding with the first indicators of agricultural activity in the region and a transient climatic shift to cooler and moister conditions. Human impact on the vegetation remained initially very low, only increasing during the Bronze Age, at ca. 3,400 cal bp. Large-scale forest openings and the establishment of the present-day cultural landscape occurred only during the past 500 years. The persistence of highly diverse mixed forest under absent or low anthropogenic disturbance until the Early Middle Ages corroborates the role of human impact in the impoverishment of temperate forests elsewhere in Central Europe. The preservation or reestablishment of such diverse forests may mitigate future climate change impacts, specifically by lowering fire risk under warmer and drier conditions.

scholarly journals Integrated IEW-TOPSIS and Fire Dynamics Simulation for Agent-Based Evacuation Modeling in Industrial Safety

Safety ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 7 (2) ◽  
pp. 47
Author(s):  
Wattana Chanthakhot ◽  
Kasin Ransikarbum
Keyword(s):  
Emergency Evacuation ◽  
Industrial Sector ◽  
Industrial Safety ◽  
Dynamics Simulation ◽  
Entropy Weight ◽  
Fire Dynamics ◽  
Evacuation Simulation ◽  
Evacuation Modeling ◽  
Agent Based ◽  
The Impact

Emergency events in the industrial sector have been increasingly reported during the past decade. However, studies that focus on emergency evacuation to improve industrial safety are still scarce. Existing evacuation-related studies also lack a perspective of fire assembly point’s analysis. In this research, location of assembly points is analyzed using the multi-criteria decision analysis (MCDA) technique based on the integrated information entropy weight (IEW) and techniques for order preference by similarity to ideal solution (TOPSIS) to support the fire evacuation plan. Next, we propose a novel simulation model that integrates fire dynamics simulation coupled with agent-based evacuation simulation to evaluate the impact of smoke and visibility from fire on evacuee behavior. Factors related to agent and building characteristics are examined for fire perception of evacuees, evacuees with physical disabilities, escape door width, fire location, and occupancy density. Then, the proposed model is applied to a case study of a home appliance factory in Chachoengsao, Thailand. Finally, results for the total evacuation time and the number of remaining occupants are statistically examined to suggest proper evacuation planning.

Understanding agricultural fire dynamics in the southern Yucatán Peninsular Region using the MODIS (C6) active fire product

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (7) ◽  
pp. 715-726
Author(s):  
Andrew Pagan ◽  
John Rogan ◽  
Birgit Schmook ◽  
Zachary Christman ◽  
Florencia Sangermano
Keyword(s):  
Fire Dynamics ◽  
Active Fire

scholarly journals Identifying the density of grassland fire points with kernel density estimation based on spatial distribution characteristics

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 796-806
Author(s):  
Zhen Shuo ◽  
Zhang Jingyu ◽  
Zhang Zhengxiang ◽  
Zhao Jianjun
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Density Estimation ◽  
Kernel Density Estimation ◽  
Function Method ◽  
Kernel Density ◽  
Fire Occurrence ◽  
Distribution Characteristics ◽  
Fire Point ◽  
Spatial Distribution Characteristics ◽  
Grassland Fire

Abstract Understanding the risk of grassland fire occurrence associated with historical fire point events is critical for implementing effective management of grasslands. This may require a model to convert the fire point records into continuous spatial distribution data. Kernel density estimation (KDE) can be used to represent the spatial distribution of grassland fire occurrences and decrease the influences historical records in point format with inaccurate positions. The bandwidth is the most important parameter because it dominates the amount of variation in the estimation of KDE. In this study, the spatial distribution characteristic of the points was considered to determine the bandwidth of KDE with the Ripley’s K function method. With high, medium, and low concentration scenes of grassland fire points, kernel density surfaces were produced by using the kernel function with four bandwidth parameter selection methods. For acquiring the best maps, the estimated density surfaces were compared by mean integrated squared error methods. The results show that Ripley’s K function method is the best bandwidth selection method for mapping and analyzing the risk of grassland fire occurrence with the dependent or inaccurate point variable, considering the spatial distribution characteristics.

scholarly journals Effects of Graphene Nanoplatelets on Mechanical and Fire Performance of Flax Polypropylene Composites with Intumescent Flame Retardant

Molecules ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (13) ◽  
pp. 4094
Author(s):  
Imran Ali ◽  
Nam Kyeun Kim ◽  
Debes Bhattacharyya
Keyword(s):  
Flame Retardant ◽  
Decomposition Rate ◽  
Natural Fiber ◽  
Fire Retardant ◽  
Graphene Nanoplatelets ◽  
Intumescent Flame Retardant ◽  
Fume Hood ◽  
Fire Dynamics ◽  
Polypropylene Composites ◽  
Set Up

The integration of intumescent flame-retardant (IFR) additives in natural fiber-based polymer composites enhances the fire-retardant properties, but it generally has a detrimental effect on the mechanical properties, such as tensile and flexural strengths. In this work, the feasibility of graphene as a reinforcement additive and as an effective synergist for IFR-based flax-polypropylene (PP) composites was investigated. Noticeable improvements in tensile and flexural properties were achieved with the addition of graphene nanoplatelets (GNP) in the composites. Furthermore, better char-forming ability of GNP in combination with IFR was observed, suppressing HRR curves and thus, lowering the total heat release (THR). Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) detected a reduction in the decomposition rate due to strong interfacial bonding between GNP and PP, whereas the maximum decomposition rate was observed to occur at a higher temperature. The saturation point for the IFR additive along with GNP has also been highlighted in this study. A safe and effective method of graphene encapsulation within PP using the fume-hood set-up was achieved. Finally, the effect of flame retardant on the flax–PP composite has been simulated using Fire Dynamics Simulator.

Massive atmospheric nitrate accumulation in a continental interior desert, northwestern China

Geology ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 40 (7) ◽  
pp. 623-626 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yan Qin ◽  
Yanhe Li ◽  
Huiming Bao ◽  
Feng Liu ◽  
Kejun Hou ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Northwestern China ◽  
Nitrate Accumulation ◽  
Atmospheric Nitrate ◽  
Continental Interior
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