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.

Go to research project

Atmosphere

Research

Explore

Services

Explore

Facilities & measurement

Explore

  • Link to source page

    Monitoring air quality in your neighbourhood

    Air quality

  • Link to source page

    Profile: Wills Dobson - small town, huge horizons

    Feature story
    05 October 2017
    If it wasn't for a damaged shoulder, Wills Dobson wouldn't be launching weather balloons or fixing high-precision atmospheric measuring instruments.
    Air quality
    Atmosphere

  • Link to source page

    Tiny air bubbles reveal new information about greenhouse gas emissions

    Media release
    24 August 2017
    Sitting at the surface of Taylor Glacier in Antarctica, are layers of ice more than 10,000 years old. And trapped inside those layers are bubbles of ancient air – like tiny time capsules - able to tell scientists a story about what the world used to be like and how humans have changed it.
    Atmosphere
    Climate change

  • Link to source page

    Atmospheric ozone, ultraviolet radiation, and stratospheric change

    Research Project
    CFCs have damaged the ozone layer and led to higher UV levels and increased health risks. Our role is to understand the causes and effects of ozone depletion, to inform the public of the risk.
    Antarctica
    UV and ozone
    Greenhouse and trace gases

  • Link to source page

    Atmosphere data

    Data from our research which we make publicly available.

  • Link to source page

    (no image provided)

    What is the greenhouse effect?

    Education Resource
    The greenhouse effect is a warming of the earth's surface and lower atmosphere caused by substances which let the sun's energy through to the ground but impede the passage of energy from the earth back into space.
    Greenhouse and trace gases
    Climate change

  • Link to source page

    (no image provided)

    Trace gas datasets

    Service
    NIWA makes a range of trace gas data freely available on our FTP site.
    Greenhouse and trace gases

  • Link to source page

    Publicly available data and publications

    Facility
    NIWA makes available and regularly updates results from several greenhouse gas measurement projects.
    Greenhouse and trace gases

  • Link to source page

    2014 UV Workshop

    Presented papers, arranged by workshop programme.
    UV and ozone

  • Link to source page

    (no image provided)

    What is ocean acidification?

    Education Resource
    Ocean acidification is the name given to the lowering of pH of the oceans as a result of increasing carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere.
    Greenhouse and trace gases
    Climate change
    Coasts

  • Link to source page

    (no image provided)

    Reports

    Reports produced by NIWA’s air quality research.

  • Link to source page

    Carbon dioxide

    Facility
    Atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) is measured continuously at Baring Head, providing the longest running record of this type in the Southern hemisphere.
    Greenhouse and trace gases