ISSN:
1573-2932
Source:
Springer Online Journal Archives 1860-2000
Topics:
Energy, Environment Protection, Nuclear Power Engineering
Notes:
Abstract Rain samples were collected sequentially by amount (≈2.7 mm each) from individual events at a single, relatively isolated, suburban site from August 1977 to July 1980. Rain pH's for ≤ 3 mm samples closely fit a monomodal Gaussian distribution with a median of 4.50 and a standard deviation of 0.39. The variability in pH was primarily interevent as opposed to intraevent. The 3-yr volume-weighted pH was 4.35 ± 0.02 for 3.16 m collected; annual pH's were 4.31, 4.37, and 4.38, and cumulative H+ deposition was 141 mg H+ m−2. Event-averaged rain pH and meteorological and air quality data were correlated. Low pH was associated with low rainfall volume and rate; rain after several dry days; rains with northeast surface winds; high SO2, NO2, and O3 in the ambient atmosphere; and high, strongly correlated, SO4 = and NO3 − rainwater concentrations. The lowest 3-yr seasonal average pH (4.31) occurred during summer; values for other seasons were ≈4.37. Average intraevent H+ molarity (volume-weighted) was accurately characterized by 6.89 E−5 *(mm ram)−0.215. The relative merits of composite (e.g., whole event) and sequential sampling are examined.
Type of Medium:
Electronic Resource
URL:
http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/BF00163610
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