Abstract
In order to investigate the seasonal and geographical distribution of snow concentrations and deposition fluxes of environmentally relevant ionic species in the Alps, the international program SNOSP was initiated. In the framework of this program, intercomparisons of snow sampling techniques and analytical methods to determine the ionic species Cl−, NO3 −, SO4 2−, K+, Na+, NH4 +, Mg2+, and Ca2+, as well as the pH and the specific conductivity were performed. The concentrations of these species in the snow samples collected in the SNOSP program varied by orders of magnitude with, e.g., concentrations of NO3 −, SO4 2−, and NH4 + ranging from 0.2–60, 0.2–90, and 0.1–60μeq L−1, respectively. The intercomparisons revealed a reasonable agreement of the determinations of the species Cl−, NO3 −, SO4 2−, Na+, and NH4 + in snow. Results were less satisfactory for K+, Mg2+, Ca2+, and H+, mainly due to the very low concentrations. In conclusion, recommendations are formulated for the reliable derivation of chemical inventories from snow packs.
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Schwikowski, M., Novo, A., Baltensperger, U. et al. Intercomparison of snow sampling and analysis within the alpine-wide snowpack investigation (SNOSP). Water Air Soil Pollut 93, 67–91 (1997). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02404748
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02404748