HR: 0800h
AN: A51E-0133    [Abstracts]
TI: The Seasonality of Sulfur transport and deposition to a Western Pennsylvania Watershed
AU: * Snow, J A
EM: julie.snow@sru.edu
AF: Slippery Rock University, 225A Vincent Science Hall, Slippery Rock, PA 16057 United States
AU: Livingston, J
EM: jack.livingston@sru.edu
AF: Slippery Rock University, 107C Spotts World Culture Building, Slippery Rock, PA 16057 United States
AB: Watersheds in the eastern U.S., particularly in western PA, are impacted by elevated acidity that is often attributed to acid mine drainage. However, atmospheric sources of acidity, such as sulfur deposition, may also affect watershed acidity. The Connoquenessing watershed (CW), which incorporates the major metropolitan area of Pittsburgh and surrounding communities, is particularly impacted by these processes. An analysis of atmospheric wind and precipitation patterns were determined using NOAA HYSPLIT back trajectories for 2004. These trajectories were clustered using GIS and matched with sulfur deposition data from the National Atmospheric Deposition Program and sulfur emission data from the Environmental Protection Agency. The goal of this study was three-fold: to determine the seasonality and spatial variability of atmospheric transport patterns that contribute to possible deposition into the CW; to determine the relationship between atmospheric transport patterns and emission inventories; and to determine the relationship between atmospheric transport patterns and sulfur deposition to the CW. Results indicate three major pathways that produced high sulfur levels in atmospheric samples. First, sulfur is transported via westerly winds from sources in Ohio to the eastern United States. Second, sulfur increased in concentration during high pressure systems; however precipitation was relatively low suggesting little actual wet deposition. And last, high sulfur concentrations were associated with strong boundary layer inversions, which presumably trapped local emissions near the surface. The three transport pathways identified in this study show sulfur deposition is a potentially significant source of increased acidity to the CW.
DE: 0345 Pollution: urban and regional (0305, 0478, 4251)
DE: 0365 Troposphere: composition and chemistry
DE: 0368 Troposphere: constituent transport and chemistry
SC: Atmospheric Sciences [A]
MN: Fall Meeting 2005