On the detectability of acid formation in clouds

Conference · Thu Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1987 · Proceedings, Annual Meeting, Air Pollution Control Association; (USA)

OSTI ID:5105537

Kelly, T J; Schwartz, S E; Daum, P H ^[1]

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1. Brookhaven National Lab., Upton, NY (USA)

Deposition of acids from the atmosphere to the earth's surface in hydrometeors (precipitation or impacted fog droplets) is a well-documented phenomenon. The acids involved are primarily sulfuric (H{sub 2}SO{sub 4}) and nitric (HNO{sub 3}) acids, derived from sulfur dioxide (SO{sub 2}) and oxides of nitrogen (NO and NO{sub 2}, collectively called NO{sub x}). This so-called wet deposition is an important means of removing sulfur- and nitrogen-containing pollutants from the atmosphere, but is also considered a serious environmental problem because of the potential harmful effects of the deposited materials on vegetation and aquatic life. The chemical composition of precipitation is determined primarily by the composition of cloudwater in the clouds from which the precipitation falls. Two processes which determine the cloudwater composition can be distinguised: dissolution of soluble aerosol and gaseous species at the time of cloud formation, and production of acids in the cloud from gaseous SO{sub 2} and NO{sub x}. These processes are discussed by the authors.

• OSTI ID: 5105537
• Report Number(s): CONF-870695-; CODEN: PRAPA
• Journal Information: Proceedings, Annual Meeting, Air Pollution Control Association; (USA), Vol. 4; Conference: 80. annual meeting of the Air Pollution Control Association, New York, NY (USA), 21-26 Jun 1987; Other Information: Technical Paper 87-72.4; ISSN 0193-9688
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACID RAIN
PRECURSOR
AEROSOLS
CHEMICAL COMPOSITION
CLOUDS
POLLUTANTS
AIR POLLUTION MONITORING
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
DROPLETS
EARTH ATMOSPHERE
FOG
NITRIC ACID
POLLUTION SOURCES
PRECIPITATION SCAVENGING
RAIN WATER
SULFURIC ACID
COLLOIDS
DISPERSIONS
HYDROGEN COMPOUNDS
INORGANIC ACIDS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLES
RAIN
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SOLS
WATER
540120* - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (1990-)