Cloud and rain pollutant concentration and deposition data at Bowbeat, Peebles, 2003-2006

A cloud droplet collector and rainwater collector were used to collect samples which were weighed (g) and measured (ml), before taking a sub-sample of 150 ml for ion analysis. The depth of each sample was calculated as the sample volume divided by the cross-sectional area of the funnel used to collect the samples. Samples were analysed by ion chromatography to obtain the combined cloud and rain concentrations and the rain-only concentrations of eight pollutants, which were then used to calculate the deposition of each pollutant. These depositions were then used to calculate the cloud-only depositions and concentrations of each pollutant. Non-marine sulphate concentrations and depositions were derived from sulphate depositions. All formulae used in the above calculations are detailed extensively in the associated supporting document.

This dataset was then reviewed and quality checked by S. Ferguson around 20 years after the original data collection to adapt it into a state suitable for reuse. All excel formulae in the original spreadsheet were checked and the units of the variables were derived from the formulae. The data were then cleaned using an R Studio script, separated into three simplified dataframes, and converted to csv. An ion balance was then conducted as a quality control measure with guidance from J Neil Cape. Any occurrences of large ion imbalances, suspected reporting errors or sample bottle overflows were removed from the dataset and all unusual data thought to have been caused by biological contamination or contamination from wind-blown dust have been flagged. Accounting for missing data from lack of sample collection, partially missing data, and removed data, the percentage completeness of each of the datasets is over 70%.