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Title: WHOLE FARM METHANE EMISSIONS USING A DISPERSION MODEL

Author
item MCGINN, S - AG & AGRI-FOOD CANADA
item FLESCH, T - UNIVERSITY OF ALBERTA
item Harper, Lowry
item BEAUCHEMIN, K - AF & AGRI-FOOD CANADA

Submitted to: International Conference on Greenhouse Gasses and Animal Agriculture
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/30/2005
Publication Date: 6/30/2005
Citation: McGinn, S.M., Flesch, T.K., Harper, L.A., Beauchemin, K. 2005. Whole farm methane emissions using a dispersion model [abstract]. International Conference on Greenhouse Gasses and Animal Agriculture.

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: In Canada, dairy cows are estimated to contribute 27% of the emitted CH4 from livestock. This estimate, like many national greenhouse gas emissions factors, is extrapolated from experiments conducted under ideal conditions, which may not reflect actual farm emissions. Our objective was to determine CH4 emissions from whole farms using measurements of concentration and wind statistics, monitored within the gas plume emitted by the farm. Open-path lasers (OPL) were used to measure line-averaged CH4 concentration. A second line-average concentration was measured with a gas chromatograph (GC). Wind statistics were measured using a 3-dimensional sonic anemometer. A backward Lagrangian stochastic (bLS) model was run to estimate emissions using plume measurements. The average CH4 emission from a naturally ventilated dairy barn (lactating cows) plus an open pen (dry cows) measured using GC and TDL data, collected periodically over four days, was 204 and 219 g per day per cow, respectively. The simple technique used in our study offers an opportunity to study emissions remotely from point sources that have a complex wind flow.