ISSN:
1573-2932
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Energy, Environment Protection, Nuclear Power Engineering
Notes:
Abstract A statistical analysis was made of source trajectory air mass regions versus receptor [SO4 −2] in cloud water at Whiteface Mountain, Wilmington, New York for the summers of 1981 and 1982. Also tested was the assumption that in 1982 sulfate concentrations should decrease in the cloud water when associated with a trajectory from the west northwest. This assumption was based on the fact that Canadian smelters were idle during August 1982 which resulted in a reduction of SO2 emissions by approximately 75%. The trajectory analysis was done using the NOAA/ARL transport model and anion-cation analysis of cloud water was performed using ion chromatography. The Canadian emission data were provided by the Air Resources Branch, Ministry of the Environment. Student's Test was used to test the null hypothesis that no [SO4 −2] differences existed in the cloud water collected during 1981 and 1982. The results were suggestive of the following conclusions: (1) There is so much inherent noise in the data due to meteorological variability that the hypothesized decrease in [SO4 −2] from the smelting operation could not be detected. (2) The trajectory analysis is not precise enough, due to the frequency of soundings and station spacing, to indicate the correct source-receptor for Whiteface Mountain; and a careful analysis of cloud water samples associated with fast moving cold fronts from the Sudbury region might detect an effect on sulfate production. (3) The available meteorology does not seem sufficient to explain the variation seen at the Whiteface Mountain field station.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00161791
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