Atmospheric analysis

NIWA has been using advanced scientific instruments to measure atmospheric trace gases and isotopes for over 50 years.

  • Cultural Keystone Species

    Research Project
    A four-year research programme focused on the co-management and restoration of our freshwater taonga species.
  • Glaciers continue to shrink this year, says NIWA

    Media release
    The annual end-of-summer snowline survey of more than 50 South Island glaciers has revealed continued loss of snow and ice. Last week, scientists from NIWA, Victoria University of Wellington, and Department of Conservation took thousands of aerial photographs of glaciers. Some of them are used to build 3D models that track ice volume changes.
  • New national rainfall record surpasses 56-year-old record

    Media release
    This week’s torrential rains have set a new national rainfall record.
  • Hotspot Watch 24 March 2022

    Hotspot
    A weekly update describing soil moisture patterns across the country to show where dry to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent. Regions experiencing significant soil moisture deficits are deemed “hotspots”. Persistent hotspot regions have the potential to develop into drought.
  • Hotspot Watch 18 March 2022

    Hotspot
    A weekly update describing soil moisture patterns across the country to show where dry to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent. Regions experiencing significant soil moisture deficits are deemed “hotspots”. Persistent hotspot regions have the potential to develop into drought.
  • Hotspot Watch 11 March 2022

    Hotspot
    A weekly update describing soil moisture patterns across the country to show where dry to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent. Regions experiencing significant soil moisture deficits are deemed “hotspots”. Persistent hotspot regions have the potential to develop into drought.
  • Mean heat: Marine heatwaves to get longer and hotter by 2100

    Media release
    New research from the Deep South Challenge: Changing with our Climate and NIWA shows that New Zealand could experience very long and “very severe” marine heatwaves by the end of the century.
  • Hotspot Watch 4 March 2022

    Hotspot
    A weekly update describing soil moisture patterns across the country to show where dry to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent.
  • Microplastics: a deeper problem than we thought?

    There is increasing global concern about the presence of plastic pollution in our oceans.
  • Hotspot Watch 25 February 2022

    Hotspot
    A weekly update describing soil moisture patterns across the country to show where dry to extremely dry conditions are occurring or imminent. Regions experiencing significant soil moisture deficits are deemed “hotspots”. Persistent hotspot regions have the potential to develop into drought.
  • Tropical seafloor secrets revealed

    Media release
    NIWA scientists and Toitū Te Whenua Land Information New Zealand (LINZ) have used satellite technology to chart the Cook Islands’ seafloor in never-before-seen detail. The work was done as part of Seabed 2030 - a collaborative project to produce a definitive map of the world ocean floor by 2030.
  • Pacific Risk Tool for Resilience, Phase 2 (PARTneR-2)

    Research Project
    The three-year PARTneR–2 project aims to help countries in the Pacific become more resilient to the impacts of climate-related hazards.