An investigation of the interaction of carbonyl compounds with the snowpack
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
8-1-2000
Abstract
Measurements of formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acetone in ambient and snowpack air were conducted as a part of the SNOW99 study in northern Michigan. Vertical profiles of ambient and snowpack air illustrate large concentration gradients through the top ~10 cm of the snowpack, implying a positive flux of these species from the surface. Snow chamber experiments that involved flushing a snow-filled 34L Teflon-lined chamber with zero air at 20 slpm indicated that release from the snow followed first order kinetics, with decay constants of 0.19, 0.44, and 0.34 hr-1 for formaldehyde, acetaldehyde, and acetone, respectively. Although it is likely that temperature dependent adsorption/desorption processes play a role, the data are not inconsistent with loss from the snowpack via snow grain metamorphism. The data also imply that formaldehyde is not hydrated in the snow grain surface layer.
Publication Title
Geophysical Research Letters
Recommended Citation
Couch, T.,
Sumner, A.,
Dassau, T.,
Shepson, P.,
&
Honrath, R.
(2000).
An investigation of the interaction of carbonyl compounds with the snowpack.
Geophysical Research Letters,
27(15), 2241-2244.
http://doi.org/10.1029/1999GL011288
Retrieved from: https://digitalcommons.mtu.edu/michigantech-p/8269