Rainfall Chemistry Composition in Bellsund (Sw Spitsbergen, Svalbard). Part 1: Sources of Elements and Deposition Discrepancies in the Coastal Area

Lehman-Konera, S., Ruman, M., Frankowski, M., Raczynski, K., Pawlak, F., & Polkowska, Z. (2022). Rainfall Chemistry Composition in Bellsund (Sw Spitsbergen, Svalbard). Part 1: Sources of Elements and Deposition Discrepancies in the Coastal Area. SSRN. DOI:10.2139/ssrn.4181339.

Abstract

Discrepancies in rainfall chemistry in Bellsund were found to be influenced by the orographic barrier and related differentiated influx of air masses as well as with the distance of sampling sites from sea coast and thus the range of sea spray impact. This study covers measurements of rainfall (P) and air temperature (T), physicochemical parameters (pH , selective electrolytic conductivity (SEC)), ions (Cl-, NO3-, SO42-), major elements (Na, Ca, Mg , K), as well as trace elements (among others As, Cd, Cr, Fe, Co, Pb, Ni, Zn) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in twenty two rainfall samples collected in August on the Calypsostranda marine terrace and on the forefield of the land-ending glacier (NW Wedel Jarlsberg Land, Spitsbergen). The comparison of meteorological measurements and chemical analyses revealed major discrepancies, including statistically significant higher rainfall pH and SEC as well as levels of Ag, As, Bi, Ca, Co, Fe, Li, Mn, Mo, Ni, Pb, Sb , and V deposited on the Calypsostranda seashore than glacier forefield. Cluster analysis showed that elements deposited in lower concentrations at the glacier forefield site predominately came from anthropogenic sources. Meanwhile, metals and metalloids deposited on the Calypsostranda marine terrace were mostly related to pollutants from both natural (wildfires, volcano activity) and anthropogenic (among others mining, waste incineration) sources, and were transported with soil dust from LRATP. Matrix correlation and principal component analysis (PCA) permitted identifying two primary factors affecting rainfall chemistry at the study sites. They were the influx of poorly polluted cold air (F1=35.1%) and sea spray (F2=27.6%) on Calypsostranda, as well as an orographic barrier (F1=37.3%) and influx of polluted warm air (F2=25.2%) on the glacier's forefield. The effect of varying altitudes of the rainfall sampling sites on discrepancies in the process of deposition of inorganic pollutants was not confirmed.