Some results of snow chemical surveys in the Kunnes River valley, East Tienshan mountains, China

Chemical surveys of snow were carried out in the upper reaches of the Kunnes River, a tributary of the Yili River in East Tienshan Mountains, China. Some surprisingly high values of sodium and potassium (K++Na+) ranging from 4.44 to 8.99 mg/l compared with other data from neighboring areas are detected. Moreover, some relative high values of SO42− with mean concentration 15.8 mg/l for new snow and 14.40 mg/l for deposited snow, ranging from 10.43 to 23.71 mg/l are also found. Therefore, it is inferred that the sodium and potassium (K++Na+) are in the forms of sulfate and that the sources of the sulfate are deserts and some dried lakes in Central Asia. It is also found that there is obviously spatial variation of ions such as K++Na+, Ca2+, SO42− and HCO3−. The concentrations of K++Na+ and SO42−, and that of Ca2+ and HCO3− have similar spatial pattern. The temporal pattern of ion concentration of new snow is considered to be mainly controlled by the depth and area of snow cover in the study area and in the areas to the west.