Title
A micrometeorological technique for detecting small differences in methane emissions from two groups of cattle
Date Issued
16 September 2014
Access level
metadata only access
Resource Type
journal article
Author(s)
AgResearch (Grasslands Research Centre)
Publisher(s)
Elsevier Ltd
Abstract
Potential approaches for reducing enteric methane (CH 4 ) emissions from cattle will require verification of their efficacy at the paddock scale. We designed a micrometeorological approach to compare emissions from two groups of grazing cattle. The approach consists of measuring line-averaged CH 4 mole fractions upwind and downwind of each group and using a backward-Lagrangian stochastic model to compute CH 4 emission rates from the observed mole fractions, in combination with turbulence statistics measured by a sonic anemometer. With careful screening for suitable wind conditions, a difference of 10% in group emission rates could be detected. This result was corroborated by simultaneous measurements of daily CH 4 emissions from each animal with the sulfur hexafluoride (SF 6 ) tracer-ratio technique.
Start page
599
End page
606
Volume
98
Language
English
OCDE Knowledge area
Agricultura, Silvicultura, Pesquería
Subjects
Scopus EID
2-s2.0-84907229828
Source
Atmospheric Environment
ISSN of the container
13522310
Sources of information:
Directorio de Producción Científica
Scopus