Forestfire Fallout
This field of view contains fallout from a forestfire near
Cle Elm, WA. This is from an environmental tapelift
collected in an apartment in Seattle, WA, approxamately 150 Killometers (90 miles)
from the fire. This ash particle is typical of Douglas fir
needle ash.
Transmitted Off Crossed Circular Polarized Light and Reflected Darkfield
Definition/Function:
Significance in the Environment:
During the month of August 2017 there were a number of heavy ash falls and smoke
intrusions from fires in British Columbia, Eastern Washington,
and Northern Oregon. This documents the fact that these distant events did impact
environmental quality indoors. This was a small fraction of the
total particle loading on this surface but in other situations could have been
interpreted evidence of "smoke damage".
Characteristic Features:
The regular alighnment and concentration of the square and rectangular pyrolyzed calcium
oxalate phytoliths are typical of Douglas fir needles.
This is a rather large ash particle that has retained much of its structure even with
the distant transport.
Associated Particles:
References:
