Seminar on Physics and Chemistry of the Atmosphere (Abstract)
Sheep and the atmospheric methane saga in New Zealand
David Lowe
National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research, New Zealand
dave.lowe@iup.uni-heidelberg.de
3.5.2002, 13.00 c.t.
Raum N3380
Due to its remote location in the South Pacific, measurements of atmospheric trace gases made in the New Zealand region can show secular trends representative of the entire southern hemisphere. In this talk an overview will be given of greenhouse gas measurements made in New Zealand, especially of methane and its stable isotopic and radiocarbon content. In terms of Kyoto protocol reporting, a particular concern is the relatively large number of ruminant animals in New Zealand and the fact that methane is the principal greenhouse gas there, not CO2. Initial work on estimating methane emissions will be presented and the possiblity of using SCIAMACHY observations to determine NZ as a "point source" of methane in the Pacific will be discussed.