Using open-path dual-comb spectroscopy to monitor methane emissions from simulated grazing cattle
Chinthaka Weerasekara,Lindsay C. Morris,Nathan A. Malarich,Fabrizio R. Giorgetta,Daniel I. Herman,Kevin C. Cossel,Nathan R. Newbury,Clenton E. Owensby,Stephen M. Welch,Cosmin Blaga,Brett D. DePaola,Ian Coddington,Brian R. Washburn,and Eduardo A. Santos
Chinthaka Weerasekara
Department of Agronomy, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, United States
Lindsay C. Morris
Department of Physics, Kansas State University, Manhattan, KS 66506, United States
Nathan A. Malarich
National Institute of Standards and Technology, Communications Technology Laboratory, Boulder, CO 80305, United States
Fabrizio R. Giorgetta
National Institute of Standards and Technology, Communications Technology Laboratory, Boulder, CO 80305, United States
Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, United States
Daniel I. Herman
National Institute of Standards and Technology, Communications Technology Laboratory, Boulder, CO 80305, United States
Department of Physics, University of Colorado, Boulder, Boulder, CO 80309, United States
Most methane emissions during the life cycle of beef cattle occur during the grazing phase. Measuring methane in grazing systems is difficult due to the high mobility and low density of animals. This work investigates if dual-comb spectroscopy can measure methane emissions from small cattle herds. An enhancement of 10 nmol mol-1 methane above the atmospheric background was measured, equivalent to 20 head located 60 m away. The calculated methane flux was within 5 % of the actual release rate.
Most methane emissions during the life cycle of beef cattle occur during the grazing phase....