Precipitation Acidity and Fallout of Nitrogen and Sulfur on the Territory of the Russian Federation from the Data of Monitoring the Chemical Composition of Snow Cover

V. A. Vetrov, V. V. Kuzovkin, and D. A. Manzon

Presented are the results of observations included in the program on monitoring the chemical composition of snow cover on the territory of Russia. The observational network consists of about 570 observation stations (OSs), at each station snow samples are taken at the end of winter. The average (for the whole territory of the country) density of the network is about 30000 km2 per one station, and the spread of this parameter in the regions is from 5000 to 100000 km2/OS. The snow samples were analyzed, computations were carried out, and the schematic maps were plotted of the average (for the area) values of pH and rate of fallout of nitrogen and sulfur in the regions in winter 2012/13. The analysis of the trends of these parameters in industrial and background regions is carried out using the observational data for 2000–2013. The type of the distribution of pH in the snow cover in Russia different regions indicates that in winter on the territory of the country large-scale processes of atmospheric precipitation acidification are absent. The analysis of the temporal variations of these parameters in the regions also indicates their relative stability in 2000–2013.