Atmosphere

World class research contributing to our understanding of greenhouse gases, ozone depletion, and urban air pollution.

MethaneSAT

Detecting and quantifying methane emissions by satellite. The core mission of this unique satellite is to support reductions in methane emissions around the world, primarily by reducing leaks from oil and gas production. NIWA's Dr Sara Mikaloff Fletcher is leading a science programme to develop capability to map agricultural emissions and determine the best places for the satellite to look for methane emissions around the world.

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    Nitrous oxide

    Research Project
    Nitrous oxide (N2O), commonly known as laughing gas, is an important greenhouse gas. Naturally produced by bacteria in soils and oceans, agriculture is the main source of human-produced nitrous oxide.

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    Ozone

    Research Project
    There is a marked seasonal cycle in surface ozone (O3), with a maximum in winter and minimum in summer. There can also be significant variability from day to day caused by synoptic scale meteorological variations.
    UV and ozone

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    Carbon monoxide

    Facility
    Carbon monoxide (CO) plays a key role in atmospheric chemistry because it is the largest sink for hydroxyl radical (OH). OH is often called the 'detergent' of the atmosphere because it destroys many harmful pollutants.
    Greenhouse and trace gases

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    Bruker Spectrometers

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    Trace gas datasets - naming conventions and data formats

    Facility
    Trace gas datasets - naming conventions and data formats

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    Summer Series 1: Ready to rumble - the anatomy of a summer thunderstorm

    News article
    03 January 2013

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    NIWA remains committed to its atmospheric science

    News article
    31 July 2012
    NIWA will continue, as planned, to support Lauder as a key facility in our atmospheric research portfolio.

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    Scientists discover abrupt increase in CO2 uptake by the land biosphere

    News article
    12 July 2012
    Scientists have discovered an abrupt increase in the uptake of atmospheric carbon dioxide by the land biosphere since1988. Without this natural increase in uptake, the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere would probably have increased even more rapidly over the last two decades.
    Greenhouse and trace gases
    Climate change

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    Surface Ocean Aerosol Production (SOAP)

    Research Project
    How do marine micro-organisms influence the earth's atmosphere and climate?
    Atmosphere

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    What are Global Warming Potential™ and CO2 equivalent emissions™?

    The Global Warming Potential (GWP) of a greenhouse gas is its ability to trap extra heat in the atmosphere over time relative to carbon dioxide (CO2). This is most often calculated over 100 years, and is known as the 100 year GWP.

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    Chemistry-climate modelling

    Research Project
    This research project focusses on modelling atmospheric chemistry and climate from the surface to the top of the stratosphere, using sophisticated chemistry-climate models.
    Antarctica
    Atmosphere
    Greenhouse and trace gases

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    Southern Ocean Gas Exchange

    Understanding the role of the Southern Ocean in absorbing carbon-dioxide from the atmosphere.
    Antarctica
    Oceans