Large Enhancements in Southern Hemisphere Satellite‐Observed Trace Gases Due to the 2019/2020 Australian Wildfires

The 2019/2020 Australian wildfires emitted large quantities of atmospheric pollutant gases and aerosols. Using state-of-the-art near-real-time satellite measurements tropospheric composition, we present an analysis several trace their long-range transport, compare to the previous (2018/2019) fire season. Observations carbon monoxide (CO) show that emissions were so intense distinct plume managed circumnavigate Southern Hemisphere (SH) within a few weeks, with eastward propagation over South Pacific, America, Atlantic, Africa, Indian Ocean. Elevated methane levels also detected in January 2020 plumes defined using CO as tracer, even though sampling was restricted spatially by aerosols clouds. significant enhancements methanol (CH3OH) from fires, where CH3OH:CO enhancement ratios increased aged downwind Pacific indicating secondary in-plume CH3OH formation.