Major element chemistry in alpine snow along a north-south transect in the Eastern Alps

The regional distribution of ion concentration and ionic load along a meridional transect in the Eastern Alps was investigated in 1993 and 1994 taking samples of the high alpine snow pack at six sites. High concentrations of atmospheric trace substances seemed to be related to high rates of snow accumulation. Zugspitze at the northern, and Caresèr Glacier at the southern margin of the Alps and Hintereisferner at the main divide had higher concentrations of sulfate and nitrate than adjacent sites. The pattern found in the ion concentrations was accentuated in the deposition rates with maximum ionic loads up to three times higher than the minima at the dry sites. Sulfate concentrations and sulfate to nitrate ratios were higher in the southern part of the transect.