Disturbances of aerosol optical thickness of the atmosphere caused by forest fires in Yakutia

he aerosol optical thickness (AOT) and pyrogenic event variations in central Yakutia are studied using the remote data (NOAA, Terra and Aqua) for May–September 2000–2009. It is shown that the average summer (June–August) AOT for years with a high pyrogenic activity (2001–2003) is by about 125% greater in comparison with the years with a low pyrogenic activity (2000 and 2004–2009); the daily AOT in central Yakutia on some days with the highest pyrogenic activity significantly exceeded the background (undisturbed) values reaching 1.5–1.6.