Tyson Research Center

In September 2001, Tyson Research Center joined the National Atmospheric Deposition Program (NADP) and is now part of a nationwide chemical deposition monitoring network. The NADP network began in 1977 and is a cooperative effort of government agencies, universities, and private organizations providing high-quality precipitation chemistry data.

The NADP sampling equipment is located at New Pond Field, near the Tyson electronic weather station. The equipment includes a Belfort weekly-recording raingage and a precipitation sampler which collects rain, sleet and snow.

Field analysis includes pH and electrical conductivity measurements; samples are then sent to the NADP Central Analytic Lab for further study. Complete analysis includes measurement of nitrates, sulfates, phosphates, calcium, magnesium, sodium, and is subject to a rigorous set of quality control measures. The resulting data then become available on the NADP webpage at: http://nadp.sws.uiuc.edu

The Tyson NADP location is ideally situated on the St. Louis suburban fringe and will provide valuable data for scientists, students, educators, and others interested in air quality and the environment. These data can be used to address important questions about geographic patterns of acid deposition, forest soil nutrients, water quality, and impact of emissions on precipitation chemistry.

This is an ongoing project, and as the research continues, the resulting information is becoming part of a valuable, long-term database of wet deposition in the St. Louis area.

Dave Larson and Steve Bone are the operators for this site, known as "MO43" in the network.

For more information please contact Dave Larson, dlarsonATbiology.wustl.edu or 314-935-8431.