Cloud water deposition at a high-elevation site in the Vosges Mountains (France)

The importance of cloud water deposition fluxes to a high-elevation site in the Vosges Mountains (France) has been studied. An existing one-dimensional cloud water deposition model has been adapted to site conditions. The adaptation of the main parameters has been tested and is discussed. These tests illustrate the small influence of the surface area index (SAI) and the roughness length on cloud water deposition and the negligible contribution of sedimentation compared to impaction of cloud droplets. Model input data, including cloud water composition, liquid water content (LWC) and wind speed, have been collected over a 1-year period and are used to evaluate annual cloud deposition fluxes of major ions and trace metals. The calculations indicate that the hydrologic input by cloud water (55.5 mm year−1) is negligible compared to the input by rainwater (1265 mm year−1). However, due to the higher concentrations in cloud water, the deposition fluxes of cloud water represent 10–28% of the total wet deposition (rain + cloud deposition) for major ions and 50% or higher for trace elements.