The chemistry of bulk precipitation at a site in southeast england—I. Small-scale spatial variation, frequency distributions and variation with time

Abstract

This paper contains a statistical analysis of bulk precipitation chemistry data from rain falling on the Tillingbourne Catchment, Surrey, SE England, in the years 1978–1981. Measurements of weekly average pH, organic content, sulphate, nitrate, ammonium and chloride were made. There was some evidence for small-scale spatial variation in precipitation chemistry, particularly for the organics. Frequency distributions were mostly log-normal but for ammonium and total sulphate there were more high values and for H + fewer high values, than expected on a log-normal basis. There was a Spring peak in the concentration of most ions, but Cl t- had a Winter peak. These seasonal variations are probably determined by meteorological factors.