The contribution of dry deposition to snowpack acidity in Michigan

TitleThe contribution of dry deposition to snowpack acidity in Michigan
Publication TypeBook Chapter
Year of Publication1987
AuthorsCadle SH, Dasch JMuhlbaier
EditorJones H.G, Orville-Thomas W.J
Book TitleSeasonal Snowcovers: Physics, Chemistry, Hydrology
Pagination299-320 of 746
PublisherD. Reidel Publishing Company
CityBoston, MA
KeywordsWET DEPOSITION
Abstract

Wet deposition, dry deposition, and snowpack chemistry were studied during two winters at a rural location in northern Michigan and during one winter at an urban location in sourthern Michigan. The dry deposition rates were determined by measuring concentration changes in exposed snow samples. Dry deposition velocities were calculated from multi-day measurements of both the deposition rate and the atmospheric concentration of the depositing species. The average deposition velocities of HNO3, SO2, NH4+, and Ca+2 were 1.1, 0.09, 0.09, and 2.0 cm/s, respectively. HNO3 was the dominant source of the dry deposited NO3-, while SO2 was the dominant source of the dry deposited SO4-2. Good agreement was found between the cumulative wet and dry deposition of most species and the snowpack content before the first melt period. Comparisons between wet and dry deposition showed that dry deposition contributed only 6 and 11% of the total acidity deposited at the rural and urban locations, respectively. The dry deposition contribution for species other than H+ ranged from 14 to 80%. The greatest dry deposition contributions for all species were at the urban site. It is concluded that dry deposition has a large impact on the snowpack content of some species, but little net effect on the acidity.