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Accessibility & LanguageSEASON
About Project
Methane (CH₄) is the second most important anthropogenic greenhouse gas after carbon dioxide and a key driver of near-term climate change. It is emitted from both natural sources (wetlands, termites, wildfires) and human activities, with the largest anthropogenic sources being agriculture (especially livestock and manure), fossil-fuel production and distribution, waste (landfills and wastewater), and biomass. Ireland has relatively high emissions per capita due mainly to its large agricultural sector. Most Irish methane comes from enteric fermentation in cattle and sheep, manure management, and smaller contributions from waste, gas distribution, and wetlands. Measuring atmospheric methane across Ireland is also scientifically valuable: observed concentrations reflect the combined influence of local emissions, regional transport, Atlantic background air, boundary-layer mixing, and meteorological conditions. Robust methane estimates are therefore essential for designing realistic mitigation strategies. Better understanding methane over Ireland can also improve policy confidence, distinguish domestic emissions from transported methane, quantify seasonal variability, and assess whether mitigation actions are actually reducing emissions over time. The overall aim of the project is to identify methane sources, sinks and hot spots in Ireland by deploying and further developing a state-of-the-art methane emissions verification system that consists of the operational network of precise long-term Methane measurements, a top-down inversion model, and suitable satellite data.
Key Objectives
- Improve the Methane inversion system using new and innovative satellite data in order to characterise and reduce uncertainty associated with top-down emission verification.
- Mapping of hot spots of methane emissions in Ireland or international emissions hotspots influencing observations in Ireland.
- Determine factors that influence the observed levels of methane in Ireland (both anthropogenic and natural).
- Compare and contrast top down and bottom-up methodologies in order to identify areas of uncertainty and facilitate reconciliation of both techniques to understand methane emission patterns in Ireland and to provide scientific evidence for emissions reductions options.
- The overall aim of the project is to identify methane sources, sinks and ‘hot spots’ in Ireland by deploying and further developing state of the art methane emissions verification system.
Expected outcomes
SEASON project will deliver :
- Trends in Irish methane emissions.
- Methane fluxes for Ireland.
- Top-down estimates of methane constrained using available satellite data.
- Characterisation of methane hotspots.
- A more complete understanding of Irish methane emissions and sinks.
Funding Agency
SEASON is funded by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Ireland under the EPA Research Programme.
Contact us
We welcome inquiries about the project. Please contact:
Dr. Nikhil Korhale
Postdoctoral Researcher
Centre for Climate and Air Pollution Studies (C-CAPS)
Physics, School of Natural Sciences
University of Galway
Galway. Irelnd
Email: nikhil.korhale@universityofgalway.ie
