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The text below is a reproduction of the article  by Abhiraj Lamba at the ��ݮ��Ƶ Region Record.

In a first-of-its-kind study, University of ��ݮ��Ƶ researchers have used a satellite to measure the amount of “HFC-125” greenhouse gas in the atmosphere to give a more accurate picture of climate change.

HFC-125 is a hydrofluorocarbon (HFC), used in fire extinguishers and commercial cooling systems, and is among the three most common HFC gases used in Canada.

Peter Bernath, a professor in the faculty of science at ��ݮ��Ƶ, explained that while HFCs do not deplete the ozone layer, they contribute to the warming of the planet, adding that HFC-125 has 3,500 times the global warming potential of carbon dioxide.

“So even when the concentrations are very low, it’s very effective at warming the surface,” Bernath said. “And because people are using it all over — they’re using it in air conditioners, they’re using it in fire suppressants — so the stuff is growing exponentially from a very small value.”

While other studies measure HFCs on the ground or much lower in the atmosphere, this study by the university’s “Atmospheric Chemistry Experiment” (ACE) research group is the only one which uses a satellite to measure it between 11 and 25 kilometres above the globe.

“Our satellite has collected data since 2004, and we have found that HFC-125 concentrations in the atmosphere are now nearly 10 times higher,” said Bernath.

ACE is under contract with the Canadian Space Agency and uses data from the Canadian satellite SCISAT-1.

“Nobody else is doing these kind of measurements,” Bernath added, calling the initiative a “big success for Canadian science and Canadian space technology.”

HFCs are regulated by an amendment to the Montreal Protocol, which is an international treaty to protect the Earth’s ozone layer. As these regulations kick in, the concentration of the molecules in the atmosphere is expected to decrease, Bernath says, adding that the research team will continue monitoring it.

“We hope to soon see a decline in this increasing rate of HFC-125 as we have with previously regulated refrigerants,” he said.

Bernath also added that the fact that this satellite, designed by ABB Canada’s Quebec City-based space division, lasted over 20 years is a “great testament to Canadian engineering.” He added, “Normally, science satellites last about two years.”

Other than HFC-125, the ACE measures 46 different atmospheric molecules. While their immediate focus will be on measuring the change in HFC-125 concentration, the team will continue additional studies as well, Bernath said.

“We already had one big discovery a couple of years ago from the satellite. We discovered that these big fires, in particular the Australian wildfires (of 2019 and 2020), actually destroyed the ozone,” Bernath said. “It was quite a big discovery that wasn’t known before.”