Analysis of precipitation chemistry at a central Pennsylvania site

Journal Article · Mon Oct 20 04:00:00 EDT 1980 · J. Geophys. Res.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1029/JC085iC10p05614· OSTI ID:6901196

Bowersox, V C; de Pena, R G

As part of the multistate atmospheric power production pollution study precipitation chemistry network, precipitation has been sampled on a storm-by-storm basis at a rural central Pennsylvania site operated by Pennsylvania State University since October 1976. These precipitation data have been analyzed for sulfate, nitrate, ammonium, and hydronium ions for the years 1977 and 1978, and both years exhibit the same general behavior with respect to these chemical species: (1) sulfate concentration in precipitation varies with season, with high values in the summer and low values in the winter, (2) sulfate ion is the major determinant of precipitation acidity, though sulfate alone does not account for the total H/sub 3/O/sup +/ concentration.(for snow and other frozen precipitation the relation between sulfate and H/sub 3/O/sup +/ is less pronounced), (3) nitrate ion of concentrations similar to those of sulfate does not correlate well with hydronium ion in liquid precipitation but does correlate with H/sub 3/O/sup +/ in snow and frozen precipitation, and (4) ammonium ion concentrations in precipitation can be explained by assuming an equilibrium state between the cloud water and gas phase ammonia.

• Research Organization: Department of Meteorology, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, Pennsylvania 16802
• OSTI ID: 6901196
• Journal Information: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Geophys. Res.; (United States) Vol. 85:C10; ISSN JGREA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

500200* -- Environment
Atmospheric-- Chemicals Monitoring & Transport-- (-1989)
54 ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES
ACID RAIN
AIR POLLUTION
ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATIONS
CENTRAL REGION
CHARGED PARTICLES
DISASTERS
IONS
MOLECULAR IONS
NITRATES
NITROGEN COMPOUNDS
NORTH AMERICA
OXONIUM IONS
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PENNSYLVANIA
POLLUTION
QUANTITY RATIO
RAIN
STORMS
SULFATES
SULFUR COMPOUNDS
USA