The influence of the ocean on the chemistry of precipitation in Nova Scotia*

Abstract

Between the fall of 1977 and December 1980, over 800 samples of precipitation were collected at 9 rural locations across Nova Scotia.

Average pH was 4.61, and an average conductivity of 25 μS cm^?1 confirmed the low ionic strength of rain and snow. Of all ions, chloride was the most abundant at 76 μeq L^?1 (2.7 mg L^?1). Oceanic origins were perceived as the source for chloride as well as for Na, Mg, 51 % of K, 21% of Ca, and 21% of SO₄, and the sea collectively accounted for 66% of all ions inNova Scotian precipitation. In contrast, the dominating ions in New York, New Hampshire, Ontario and Norway were H⁺ and SO₄.

In Nova Scotia, chloride concentrations in rain (mg L^?1) are a function of distance D (km) from the coast and may be described by the equation Cl mg L^?1] = 4.5D^?0.42. It indicates that Cl concentrations are reduced by about 50% within 0.5 km of the coast, and 80% within 5 km. The continental North American chloride data examined are also consistent with the relationship.

The shape of the chloride curve is similar to curves others have developed from rain and lake water chemistry observations in Holland and the United Kingdom, although those, and other European data, indicate that the marine influence is less pronounced in northeastern North America.

The marine influence of precipitation chemistry on Nova Scotia has a maximum seasonal amplitude during the winter.