Aerosol, precipitation and cloud water chemistry observations on the Czech Krusne Hory plateau adjacent to a heavily industrialised valley

The Krusne Hory mountain plateau has experienced serious forest die-back in the last three decades which has been linked to acidic deposition, though important deposition routes had not been established before this study. Aerosol and wet deposition (precipitation and cloud water) data are presented for samples collected on the plateau at 740 m a.s.l. over the period March 1995–1996 and November 1996–March 1997. Concentrations of all species analysed were high relative to other continental sites, but were particularly elevated in cloud and rime samples and when atmospheric transport arose from the nearby industrialised valley. The species SO42− and NO3− were particularly enriched in samples that were associated with transport from the industrialised valley, suggesting significant oxidation of SO2 and NOx during transport from sources to the mountain region. Cloud and rime deposition represents a substantial proportion of the total wet deposition.