Abstract
Rain-water was sampled with 8 wet-only samplers during 42 periods of 2 or 3 days at one coastal site. The following components were determined: H, NH4, Ca, Mg, K, Na, SO4, NO3, Cl, F, Pb, Fe, Br, Mn, V, and Al. The coefficients of variation in the amounts of rainfall did not show a clear relation with wind-speed and amount of rainfall. The same held for the coefficients of variations of the concentrations of the components determined. When the air comes from the land (continental period) the rain shows a larger concentration of components originating from the land. When the air comes from the sea (maritime period) the concentrations of maritime components are greater. Meteorological factors other than winddirection are of minor importance for the determination of the chemical composition of rain-water. On the average NO x is responsible for generating 36% of the H-ions in rain-water. NH3 is the most important neutralizing substance. During continental periods the H-concentration would become 2.55 times as high if there were no neutralization by NH3. Correlations between components are shown. A chemical definition of the continentality of rain is given. The usefulness of this definition is illustrated in connection with a rain-water sample collected during a complicated meteorological event.
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Asman, W.A.H., Slanina, J. & Baard, J.H. Meteorological interpretation of the chemical composition of rain-water at one measuring site. Water Air Soil Pollut 16, 159–175 (1981). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01046852
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01046852