Simultaneous physical and chemical characteristics of clouds amid and above the trees of a montane forest, located about 3.3 km southwest of Mt. Mitchell, NC, were collected between 13 and 22 June 1993. This paper summarizes the chemical characteristics of the cloud droplets amid the trees. The ionic composition and pH of the analyzed amid-canopy cloud water samples are generally consistent with those of previous above-canopy cloud water samples obtained at this site. Magnesium, sodium, and calcium are highly correlated to each other amid the canopy as compared to above the canopy. Above-canopy and amid-canopy cloud-only episodes, with concurrent event-averaged cloud water pH values at or below 3.1, generally contain more magnesium, sodium, and calcium in the amid-canopy cloud water samples compared to concurrent above-canopy cloud water samples. The observed chemical differences between the amid-canopy cloud and the above-canopy cloud suggest an unhealthier environment for the tree canopy when the cloud water traversing this site has a pH value at or below 3.1. The predominant ion deposition fluxes were calculated to provide preliminary data for studies designed to explicitly quantify how the chemical composition of cloud water affects tree health.
