Acid rain and dry deposition of atmospheric pollutants: ORNL studies the effects

Acidic precipitation and atmospheric deposition may be involved in the decline of some forests and in the elevation of aluminum levels in streams. The research programs at Oak Ridge National Laboratory which are focussed on acid rain are described. Some of the areas currently under scrutiny are: soil buffering capacity, the quantitative relationships between wet and dry deposition, the effects of acid rain on forest growth, forest canopy interactions with acid precipitation, the effects of acid rain on aquatic ecosystems, and innovations in pollution control technology.