Date of Award

Spring 1983

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Master of Science (MS)

Department

Ocean & Earth Sciences

Program/Concentration

Oceanography

Committee Director

Terry L. Wade

Committee Member

Robert C. Harriss

Committee Member

Earl C. Kindle

Call Number for Print

Special Collections LD4331.O35F32

Abstract

The atmospheric hydrocarbon concentration was determined at various locations throughout Southeastern Virginia from July 1981 to February 1983. During this period the concentration ranged from 0.4 to 5.5 μg/m3 . From October 1982 to February 1983, WET and dry deposition samples were collected in conjunction with these air samples. Total hydrocarbon dry deposition rates ranged from deposition rates ranged from 4 to 189 μg/m2 /day, while WET 22 to 670 μg/m2 /day. Hydrocarbon concentrations found were within the ranges reported in the literature for wet, dry and atmospheric hydrocarbon concentrations.

Linear trend analysis revealed no correlation between total hydrocarbon concentration, percent aliphatic or percent UCM and meteorological data (consisting of wind speed, wind direction, and relative humidity) obtained from Norfolk International Airport.

Short term variations in the atmospheric hydrocarbon concentration (on the order of hours) were detected in the air samples. Variability in the WET and dry deposition rates (on the order of days) was also detected. Over a 16.4 day continuous sampling period between January and February 1983, the average total hydrocarbon deposition rate was 186 μg/m2 /day, similar to total hydrocarbon deposition rates of 203 μg/m2 /day reported for Norfolk, Virginia from 1981 to 1982 (Wade, 1983). Thus, it appears that the short term variability (on the order of days) of total hydrocarbon deposition rates are not observed when longer time periods (years) are considered.

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DOI

10.25777/g7xz-w714

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