Wildfires are known to produce carbon-containing particles, the release of which can significantly degrade air quality, affecting human health and interfering with climate. However, measurements from the 2011 Las Conchas fire show that the actual emitted particles differ greatly from those used in current computer models, indicating the potential for inaccuracy in current climate-modeling results.

In the recently released paper, published in Nature Communications, the researchers analyzed the morphology and composition of the specific emitted aerosols.