Design and operation of a simple, sequential precipitation sampler with some preliminary results

Abstract An inexpensive mechanical sampler has been designed to take sequential samples of precipitation. Its principal features are: non-electrical or motor-driven operation, sampling rate dependent on quantity not time, time of sampling recorded by a clock chart. Advantages of this design are: low materials cost, resistance to damp, minimal attention required in dry periods, permits detailed study of variations in precipitation chemistry and is easily adapted for other sampling purposes. Results of analyses for common ions in precipitation from two events are presented to illustrate the operation and research potential of the sampler.