Sulfate budget and a model for sulfate concentrations in stream water at Birkenes, a small forested catchment in southernmost Norway
As part of the Norwegian SNSF project, the volume and chemical composition of precipitation and stream water have been measured for 6 years at Birkenes, a small (0.41 km/sup 2/), gaged, coniferous-forested catchment on granitic bedrock in southernmost Norway. Daily measurements of SO/sub 2/ gas and SO/sub 4/ aerosol have also been collected and provide the basis for estimation of dry deposition. The sulfate budget for the period November 1972 to October 1978 indicates that about 15% more sulfate left the catchment in runoff (7880 mg SO/sub 4/ m/sup -2/ yr/sup -1/) than entered in dry (1870 mg SO/sub 4/ m/sup -2/ yr/sup -1/) and wet (4970 mg SO/sub 4/ m/sup -2/ yr/sup -1/) deposition. This difference is probably not significantly different from zero, given the difficulties inherent in the measurements. The input-output budget reveals a marked seasonal pattern (accumulation during summer and winter; washout during spring and autumn). The annual sulfate flux is perhaps 5-10 times larger than natural. The result is an acidification of stream water and an increased leaching of base cations from the soil. The concentration of sulfate in stream water at Birkenes shows a characteristic pattern of high levels (10-13 mg l/sup -1/) in the first stormflow following a dry summer period and low levels (approx. 5 mg l/sup -1/) in baseflow. For the summer half-year we have simulated sulfate concentrations using a simple two-compartment model. Sulfate is assumed to accumulate in the uppermost soil layers because of dry deposition and evapotranspiration of rainwater. Mineralization of other sulfur compounds is included indirectly. In the lower mineral soil layers, adsorption/desorption of sulfate is assumed to occur. The ability of this simple model to simulate sulfate concentrations in stream water suggests that the model quantitatively accounts for these processes. 44 references, 3 figures, 4 tables.
- Research Organization:
- Central Institute for Industrial Research, Oslo, Norway
- OSTI ID:
- 5305123
- Journal Information:
- Water Resour. Bull.; (United States), Vol. 17:2
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Model for streamwater chemistry at Birkenes, Norway
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Related Subjects
STREAMS
ACIDIFICATION
SULFATES
ECOLOGICAL CONCENTRATION
SULFUR
BIOGEOCHEMISTRY
ADSORPTION
COMPUTERIZED SIMULATION
CONIFERS
DEPOSITION
DESORPTION
FORESTS
LEACHING
MATHEMATICAL MODELS
MINERAL CYCLING
MINERALIZATION
NORWAY
QUANTITY RATIO
RUNOFF
SEASONAL VARIATIONS
SOILS
SULFUR DIOXIDE
CHALCOGENIDES
CHEMISTRY
DISSOLUTION
ELEMENTS
ENVIRONMENTAL TRANSPORT
EUROPE
GEOCHEMISTRY
MASS TRANSFER
NONMETALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PLANTS
SCANDINAVIA
SEPARATION PROCESSES
SIMULATION
SORPTION
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
SULFUR OXIDES
SURFACE WATERS
VARIATIONS
WESTERN EUROPE
520200* - Environment
Aquatic- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
510200 - Environment
Terrestrial- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)
500200 - Environment
Atmospheric- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport- (-1989)