Aerosol deposition and behavior on leaves in cool-temperate deciduous forests. Part 2: Characteristics of fog water chemistry and fog deposition in Northern Japan

The fog water chemistry and deposition in northern Japan were investigated by fog water and throughfall measurements in 2010. Fog water was sampled weekly by an active-string fog sampler at Lake Mashu from May to November. Throughfall measurements were conducted using rain gauges under three deciduous trees along the somma of the lake from August to October. The mean fog deposition rate (flux) was calculated using throughfall data to estimate the total fog water deposition amount for the entire sampling period. NH4+ and SO42- were the most abundant cation and anion, respectively, in the fog water samples. A mean pH of 5.08 in the fog water, which is higher than those in rural areas in Japan, was observed. The [NH4+]/[SO42-] equivalent ratio in fog water was larger than 1.0 throughout the study period, indicating that NH3 gas was the primary neutralizing agent for fog water acidity. The mean rate and total amount of fog water deposition were estimated as 0.15 mm h-1 and 164 mm, respectively. The amounts of nitrogen and sulfate deposition via fog water deposition were corresponded to those reported values of the annual deposition amounts via rainfall.