K085 - Remote sensing and sampling of atmospheric trace gases and greenhouse gases

The Antarctic atmosphere is an important and unique part of the global climate system. Within the K085 activity, we measure atmospheric trace gases and radiation at two remote sites, Arrival Heights and Scott Base, which are exposed to minimal local anthropogenic pollution but do experience large-scale global change. The goal of NIWA's research is to improve understanding of how Antarctic atmospheric chemistry drives and responds to global climate change.

Research topics include: ozone depletion and recovery, greenhouse gas measurements, sea-ice/atmosphere trace gas interactions, and hemispheric transport and mixing of atmospheric constituents. We measure atmospheric composition throughout the year using ground-based remote sensing instruments and surface in-situ air samples. In addition to these in-house research activities the measurements are used by the international scientific community to validate global climate-chemistry models, and in satellite validation campaigns.

From ~2005 onwards event K087 [insitu GHG sampling] merged into K085.Prior to NIWA (circa 1992), in DSIR days the K085 program was made up of K135 and K174