TY - JOUR

T1 - A comparison of model and observed network estimates of sulphur deposition across Great Britain for 1990 and its likely source attribution

AU - Metcalfe, S. E.

AU - Whyatt, J. D.

AU - Derwent, R. G.

PY - 1995/7/1

Y1 - 1995/7/1

N2 - Long‐range transport models for acidic sulphur species are being used to develop emission‐control strategies to combat environmental acidification in the remote, sensitive regions of Europe. the incorporation of seeder‐feeder enhancement into a simple trajectory model for sulphur has markedly improved the representation of wet deposition across Great Britain, as shown by a detailed comparison of the model results with the observations from monitoring networks. an uncertainty analysis reveals that those input parameters which contribute most to uncertainty in the total sulphur deposition are the sulphur‐dioxide emissions, wind speeds and wet‐removal coefficients. the total Great Britain dry and wet depositions of sulphur are estimated to be 216 and 241 thousand tonnes per year, respectively, making a total sulphur deposition per year of 457 ± 110 thousand tonnes, in excellent agreement with the observed quantity of 433 thousand tonnes. the model was used to give an indication of the origin of the deposited sulphur across Great Britain. European land‐based sulphur sources contribute 34% of the deposition to Great Britain, with significant dry deposition in south‐east England and wet deposition in upland western Britain. UK power stations and oil refineries contribute 46.7% of total deposition, with shipping and natural sulphur sources from algal blooms, a mere 4.6%. Differences in source attribution between this UK‐scale study and those previously published for the long‐range transport scale are explored and it is concluded that national‐scale models have an important role to play in policy formulation.

AB - Long‐range transport models for acidic sulphur species are being used to develop emission‐control strategies to combat environmental acidification in the remote, sensitive regions of Europe. the incorporation of seeder‐feeder enhancement into a simple trajectory model for sulphur has markedly improved the representation of wet deposition across Great Britain, as shown by a detailed comparison of the model results with the observations from monitoring networks. an uncertainty analysis reveals that those input parameters which contribute most to uncertainty in the total sulphur deposition are the sulphur‐dioxide emissions, wind speeds and wet‐removal coefficients. the total Great Britain dry and wet depositions of sulphur are estimated to be 216 and 241 thousand tonnes per year, respectively, making a total sulphur deposition per year of 457 ± 110 thousand tonnes, in excellent agreement with the observed quantity of 433 thousand tonnes. the model was used to give an indication of the origin of the deposited sulphur across Great Britain. European land‐based sulphur sources contribute 34% of the deposition to Great Britain, with significant dry deposition in south‐east England and wet deposition in upland western Britain. UK power stations and oil refineries contribute 46.7% of total deposition, with shipping and natural sulphur sources from algal blooms, a mere 4.6%. Differences in source attribution between this UK‐scale study and those previously published for the long‐range transport scale are explored and it is concluded that national‐scale models have an important role to play in policy formulation.

KW - Acid rain

KW - Critical loads

KW - Seeder‐feeder scavenging

KW - SO emissons

KW - Sulphur deposition

U2 - 10.1002/qj.49712152609

DO - 10.1002/qj.49712152609

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:0029500765

VL - 121

SP - 1387

EP - 1411

JO - Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society

JF - Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society

SN - 0035-9009

IS - 526

ER -