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arXiv · 2507.01237

High-resolution simulations unravel intensification mechanisms of pyrocumulonimbus clouds

Qing Wang·Cenk Gazen·Matthias Ihme·Robert Carver·Jeffrey B. Parker·Tapio Schneider·Sheide Chammas·Yi-Fan Chen·John Anderson
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Abstract

Pyrocumulonimbus (pyroCb) firestorms -- wildfire-generated thunderstorms -- can trigger rapid fire spread. However, the multi-physics nature of pyroCb has made their core mechanisms inaccessible to direct observation and previous simulation and prediction efforts. We introduce a new simulation capability with the first high-resolution, fully coupled simulations of a pyroCb, allowing us to unravel its life cycle governed by two opposing mechanisms. We show fuel moisture is an energy sink that attenuates fire intensity rather than fueling clouds, resolving a long-standing debate. Conversely, we identify the driver of rapid intensification: the Self-Amplifying Fire-Induced Recirculation (SAFIR) mechanism, where precipitation-induced downdrafts intensify the parent fire under weak winds. This work provides a new mechanistic framework for pyroCb prediction and demonstrates a transformative computational approach for previously intractable problems in environmental science.

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Qing Wang, Cenk Gazen, Matthias Ihme, Robert Carver, Jeffrey B. Parker, Tapio Schneider, Sheide Chammas, Yi-Fan Chen, John Anderson. 2025-07-01. High-resolution simulations unravel intensification mechanisms of pyrocumulonimbus clouds. https://arxiv.org/abs/2507.01237

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