Finding abnormal events during the Iraq War monitored at Japan 8000km away from Iraq

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Unusual strong acidic rain recorded during the Iraq War in Japan Sea side 8000km away from Iraq. In order to monitor the seasonal change of pH, the rainwater was collected during the period from March 24th to September 24th, 2003 at Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture, Japan. For comparison, the rainwater at Wakayama (the Pacific Ocean side) was collected, during the period from March 24th to April 30th, 2003. The pH, Eh, EC, and DO of the rainwater were measured in laboratory periodically. Filtered rain dusts were investigated by scanning electron microscope equipped with energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (SEM-EDX), electron probe micro analyzer (EPMA), transmission electron microscope (TEM), energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (ED-XRF), and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analyses. In this study, the fluctuation of pH values and electrical conductivity (EC) of rainwater during this half-year period were measured to find abnormal events, such as the Iraq War effects. Since March 21st, 2003, Iraq plunged into the war. The more than 30 oil field fires in Rumaylah, Basrah, Mosul, and other oil fields near the borderline of Kuwait and Iran were reported in March and in April, 2003 in Japan. The first precipitation during the Iraq War was caught on March 24th, 2003. In the period from March 24th to April 5th, the notable low pH value of 3.4-4.4 and high EC value of 20-360ƒﾊS/cm were detected in Kanazawa. The acidic rain associated with WNW wind (2.7-4.1m/s) has continued to the first 10 days of April in Kanazawa, during the 9 oil fields were burning in Rumaylah, Iraq. In the same time, the upper current of air maps confirmed that the 5520-5700m lines cross over and spread on both Iraq and Japanese Honshu Island. It is considered that westerly wind crossed over both Iraq and Japan. The high EC values from March 24th to April 5th, 2003, suggest that high concentrations of water-soluble carbon particles and soot contained in the rainwater. In addition, the black powdery dusts were detected from the strong acidic rainwater on April 1st. The powdery dusts and carbon-bearing particles contained in the rainwater have characteristics different from that of the Asian aerosol particles (Kosa). The results suggest that both powdery dusts and carbon-bearing particles of rainwater have been produced by combustion of oil field in Iraq. Simulation data support the directly cycling by westerly wind indicating the influence of the Iraq War. Possible evidences provided in this paper, such as strong acidic rain and high EC values with nm-sized carbon soot at lapan Sea side, was the influence of the Iraq War. It was suggested that local events affect the global atmospheric environments. Smoke from oil field fires around Baghdad and other wartime pollution could create long-term health hazards.
金沢大学の論文

Finding abnormal events during the Iraq War monitored at Japan 8000km away from Iraq

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