NIWA

Research

Reducing COVID-19 transmission through increased ventilation

Funded by the Ministry of Health, NIWA air quality researchers are carrying out research to understand ventilation behaviour and examine how well spaces used by our most vulnerable populations are, and could be, ventilated.

Quantifying and reducing agricultural emissions of greenhouse gases

Almost half of Aotearoa New Zealand’s CO2-equivalent greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture. This is a much higher proportion than most other countries – globally, agricultural emissions average around 7.5% of a country’s total emissions.

Community Air Watch Arrowtown

Community Air Watch Arrowtown enables members of the public to use new technologies to participate in studies of air quality.

Schools Air Watch

Schools Air Watch enables school classes to use new technologies to participate in a study of air quality in their own community.

Community Air Watch Invercargill

Community Air Watch Invercargill enables members of the public to use new technologies to participate in studies of air quality.

Air Grid: using grid monitoring to map air quality

Air quality is almost never consistent across NZ’s towns – polluted air can readily be transported on the breeze and accumulate in different locations.

Community air: Air quality issues in NZ towns

Community Air is a family of research studies, community projects and commercial services that empower local communities to engage with, assess and tackle local air quality issues.

Air quality issues in New Zealand towns: outdoor air quality animations

Animations showing wind conditions and air quality over 24-hour periods across study towns during winter 2021 and 2020.

Estimating design wind speeds in complex terrain

The current method for calculating wind speed-up is inadequate, and can grossly under-predict correct design wind speeds in NZ's complex terrain.

Atmospheric ozone, ultraviolet radiation, and stratospheric change

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.

Methane

Methane (CH₄) is the second most important greenhouse gas after CO₂ that is produced by human activities. While most of the anthropogenic emissions of CO₂ are from industrial processes, most anthropogenic CH₄ emissions are from agriculture.

New Zealand Ocean Acidification Observing Network (NZOA-ON)

Ocean acidification conditions around the New Zealand coast are being measured to establish baseline conditions and to quantify future change.

Nitrous oxide

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.

Ozone

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.

Surface Ocean Aerosol Production (SOAP)

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

Chemistry-climate modelling

This research project focusses on modelling atmospheric chemistry and climate from the surface to the top of the stratosphere, using sophisticated chemistry-climate models.

Total Carbon Column Observing Network

NIWA participates in the Total Carbon Column Observing Network, a ground-based observing network dedicated to making precise and accurate measurements of greenhouse gas concentrations in different parts of the atmosphere.

NZ SOLAS (Ocean–Atmosphere Interactions)

This research aims to provide better predictions of changes in the ocean and climate system, particularly the way in which the ocean around New Zealand regulates greenhouse gases and clouds.

Greenhouse gases and climate sensitivity - insights from ice cores

By analysing air trapped in ancient ice we can see how wetlands and permafrosts responded to warming periods in the past, and help predict what will happen in the future.