Sulfur in Precipitation. Contribution to an Alberta Sulfur Inventory

The following final report describes investigations concerned with a sulfur inventory of central Alberta, particularly as it may be revealed by measurements of sulfur in rain, snow, hail and dustfall. In accordance with the above goal, summer rain and hail samples have been obtained through the cooperation of the Alberta Hail Studies network (ALHAS). Sulfur analyses of these samples, radar echoes of pertinent storms, and precipitation records for the field seasons 1973 to 1975 have been interrelated to provide perspectives upon many phenomena pertaining to sulfur deposition in central Alberta. In this work, analyses of meso-scale winds have been most helpful. Data obtained from samples submitted through the cooperation of the Federal Atmospheric Environment Service permitted the central Alberta work to be compared with similar information from the entire province.

In order to assess the seasonal variation of the multiple sulfur deposition modes, similar measurements of sulfate-sulfur content in fresh and total pack of snow are presented. Attempts have been made to relate the observed sulfate-sulfur values to sample acidity and conductance.

Three dustfall sampling domains consisting of sixty measurement sites were operated May to November, 1975 in central Alberta so that the amounts of sulfur brought down in this type of material might be statistically treated. Multi-element analyses and 34S/32S determinations of selected dustfall samples were performed as a possible means of defining airborne trajectories of the material collected. The development of a small-scale device for the generation of ppb levels of SO₂ is described, which was used in laboratory simulation of SO₂ uptake by various types of soil, tree bark and forest litter.