Assessing the Impact of Amazonian Fires on Atmospheric NO 2 Using Satellite Data

Humberto Alves Barbosa () and Catarina de Oliveira Buriti
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Humberto Alves Barbosa: Department of Engineering and Natural Resource Management, Federal University of Campina Grande, Campina Grande 58429-900, PB, Brazil
Catarina de Oliveira Buriti: National Semi-Arid Institute (INSA), Ministry of Science, Technology, Innovations, Campina Grande 58434-700, PB, Brazil

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 3, 1-14

Abstract: In the Amazon region, the impact of fire on the region’s biogeochemical processes remains poorly understood. In this study, we examined the relationship of seasonal fire on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions over the study region during the last two decades of the 21st century by integrating calibrated and validated satellite-derived products of estimations of burned biomass area, land cover, vegetation greenness, rainfall, carbon monoxide (CO), and nitrogen dioxide (NO 2 ) through geospatial techniques. Results revealed a strong impact of fire activity on GHG emissions, with abrupt changes in CO and NO 2 emission factors between early- and middle-dry-season fires (July–September). We found a strong positive correlation (r 2 = 0.71) between NO 2 and burned biomass when a small percentage of burned biomass (around ≤ 0.5%) is released during a fire. However, in the event of a large percentage of burned biomass (>0.8%), the correlation coefficient between NO 2 and burned biomass was weak (r 2 = 0.41). New models need to be developed that incorporate the substantial existing knowledge on the seasonal dynamics of fire-derived GHG emissions. This information should be utilized to make effective decisions about how to manage fire in the Amazon ecosystems and to drive further data collection campaigns and modelling initiatives.

Keywords: Amazon region; satellite-based data; fire; fire-related GHG emissions; climate change mitigation (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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