Sources and Distribution of Atmospheric Sulfur

Modified from Charlson et al. (1985) with the permission of Kluwer Academic Publishers. 

Emissions of sulfur to the atmosphere by humans are almost entirely in the form of SO2. The main sources are coal-burning and sulfide ore smelting. The total anthropogenic flux is estimated to be about 80TgS/year (Ivanov, 1983) and is thus essentially equal in magnitude to the natural flux of low oxidation state sulfur to the atmosphere. Clearly, the atmospheric sulfur cycle is intensely perturbed by human activity. To estimate the spatial extent of this perturbation, we will need some idea of the residence time of sulfur in the atmosphere. 

Flux Description Kellogg etal. (1972) Friend (1973) Granat etal. (1976) Moller (1984a, b) Ivanov (1983) This work (natural only) 

Fib from fossil fuel burning and metal smelting Effluents from chemical 29  

F2 portion is pollution of rivers from fertilizers) Aeolian emission (dust) 0.2 20 20 

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