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Sulfate behavior in eastern U.S. precipitation
Author(s) -
Pack Dee William
Publication year - 1978
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/gl005i008p00673
Subject(s) - precipitation , sulfate , environmental science , atmospheric sciences , separation (statistics) , sulfur , geology , meteorology , chemistry , geography , mathematics , statistics , organic chemistry
Analyses of H + , SO 4 = , and NO 3 − concentrations in precipitation from five Eastern U.S. sites between Virginia and upstate New York indicate that monthly weighted concentrations of SO 4 = are highly correlated between sites out to the farthest site separation distance (750 km). NO 3 − concentrations, however, are significantly correlated between sites out to only 150 km. The H + ion is significantly correlated between sites out to 600 km site separation, a value intermediate between SO 4 = and NO 3 − , as would be expected. These results suggest that SO 2 and/or SO 4 = (factors producing SO 4 = concentrations in precipitation) are well mixed over the Eastern U.S. A sulfur reservoir that fluctuates uniformly within this region can be inferred. NO 3 − does not show the same tendency for consistent fluctuation over large separation distances.