The occurrence of sulfate-rich rains in the Negev desert, Israel

Rain water was sampled in the Negev Desert, Israel for the past six years. Events with relatively high amounts of sulfate were detected and studied for their chemical, isotopic and synoptic features. It was found that sulfate rich rain events were usually enriched with respect to the median isotopic value for the area δ¹⁸O(‰) (relative to SMOW) and were associated with dust storms and a continental direction of surface winds prior to the rain event.