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In-flame measurements of soot particulate using conventional extractive and nonintrusive optical probes are compared for a swirl-stabilized combustor. Except for large (approximately 5 mu m) particulate present in the extracted samples, the soot particle size compares favorably with optically measured values, and the soot particle morphology reflects that formed in gas turbine combustors. Two, nonflame sources for the large particulate are suggested by the optical data: particles formed or elongated during transport subsequent to extraction, and particles attrited from upstream carbon deposits on a solid surface. The extractive probe produces a change in the local particle number density which varies from little change to a 70-fold suppression in reacting flow and a 200-fold increase in cold seeded flow depending on the location within the combustor of the optical sampling volume, the location of the extractive probe relative to the optical sampling volume, and the combustor operating conditions.