ACIDITY OF ATMOSPHERIC PRECIPITATION IN MOSCOW

I. D. Eremina

The time variability of atmospheric precipitation acidity index pH is studied from the data of long-term measurements (1980–1999) carried out at the Meteorological Observatory of Moscow State University. A significant difference is revealed in the acidity of rains and snow: more acid rainfalls occur in a warm period (a weighted average pH = 4.7) rather than in a cold one (pH = 5.7). The frequency of acid rains in different years was 50–60%. However, in the last years a tendency is found towards a reduced portion of acid rains. The acidity can change in one and the same rain. In spite of significant scattering of pH of both individual rainfalls and mean monthly, seasonal, and annual pH values, no substantial variations in precipitation acidity in Moscow are observed.

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