Aerosol and radiation characteristics of the atmosphere during forest and peat fires in 1972, 2002, and 2010 in the region of Moscow

Estimates of some aerosol and radiation characteristics of the atmosphere in the summer of 2010 are obtained according to the results of the measurements made at the Meteorological Observatory (MO) at Moscow State University and are compared with the results of the measurements performed in 2002 and 1972 during the forest and peat fires. In contrast to 1972 and 2002, the period under study in 2010 is characterized by a greater frequency of the highest class of fire danger according to Nesterov, higher aerosol optical depths of the atmosphere up to 4.6, and a more significant weakening of solar radiation in different spectrum regions. In 2010 the smoke aerosol caused losses of the total shortwave radiation of 33%, visible radiation of 39%, ultraviolet radiation of 300-380 nm of 51%, and erythemal radiation of 63%. At the same time, an increase in the downward long-wave radiation to 40-50 W/m(2) under extreme aerosol optical depths is recorded.