Atmosphere

A bird's-eye-view of the Kenaook Cape Grim station on the edge of a cliff, with ocean below.

Methane levels and the role of science in mitigation

The recent, rapid rise in levels of methane in our atmosphere is causing concern among scientists. So why is it happening?

country side with smoke plume in the distance

Protecting the health of Australians through improved bushfire smoke forecasting

Air quality forecasting improvements will be able to provide hourly and daily information on pollutants in the air to help fire and environmental authorities, and the community.

Overhead view of a research vessel at sea.

Advancing Australia’s capability to harvest oceans of data

Australia’s oceans are big, beautiful and bountiful in resources. Our national ocean research vessel Investigator delivers the capability to help us understand and protect them.

Dry landscape burning with red son and black trees

A dry landscape and a dire season: we explain the current bushfire environment

Sydney and New South Wales (NSW) north coast residents continue to battle poor air quality as a result of fires burning through the state. Our bushfire expert Andrew Sullivan delves beyond the smoke haze to explain the current crisis and the tough conditions ahead.

A bushfire burns in the distance in Victoria.

Climate change and extreme events – quantifying the changing odds

The field of climate change event attribution research has emerged recently and can provide new insights into Australian climate extremes.

Ozone uptake in oceans much lower than previously thought

CSIRO scientists have developed a new way to account for ozone in computer simulations of the climate. This latest modelling shows that the oceans take much less ozone out of the atmosphere than previously thought. This has implications not only for our understanding of future global warming, but also on human health, plant productivity and the economy.

Eastern China pinpointed as source of rogue ozone-depleting emissions

For several years, emissions of CFCs have been rising, in apparent defiance of a global ban in place since 2010. A new global detective effort has traced the source to two eastern Chinese provinces.

Watching the world’s atmosphere

ACCURATE, reliable and comprehensive information about what is happening in our atmosphere is a critical piece of the puzzle if we are to mitigate and adapt to our changing climate.

SMOG gets students into STEM

A DIY gadget for detecting smoke has enabled primary school students to play detective and track down problems in the air around them.