Atop Japan's Mt. Unzen, When Wind Blows From China, Ice Forms With pH Of 3.2 - Asahi

[hatrack]

From mountaintops to the seabed, the effects of China's headlong rush into modernity via smoke-belching factories are being felt across Japan. On cold winter mornings, when biting winds blow off the Asian land mass and over the Sea of Japan, trees atop Mount Unzen-Fugendake in Nagasaki Prefecture are covered in a fine icy coating.

Residents of the normally warm southern prefecture traditionally refer to the seasonal white frost as hana-boro, or flowery little clusters of ice that dot the tree branches. But, something is happening to the enchanting ice blossoms. Hiromitsu Watanabe, 63, Unzen resident and a former high school teacher, has been studying the icy fog deposits since 1999. "Look how dirty it is. It's almost like slush. This is evidence of transboundary air pollution," he said. Watanabe was displaying a small bottle containing black water. The water was melted ice fog deposit from Mount Unzen-Fugendake. The sample was taken Dec. 9.

The water's pH index was 3.2, making the liquid almost on par with vinegar. According to Watanabe, vehicle exhaust and the burning of coal are causing the change.

Mount Unzen-Fugendake's highest summit is 1,359 meters, which means it is exposed to vast wind currents. According to research by the Nagasaki Prefectural Institute for Environmental Research and Public Health, whatever is turning hana-boro into slush is originating in China. More precisely, it's coming from the vicinity of Beijing, 1,500 kilometers northwest of the mountain.

EDIT

http://www.asahi.com/english/Herald-asahi/TKY200801070064.html

[phantom power]

1. That's like 100 times more acidic than "normal" acid rain.

[hatrack]

2. Yep - in effect, it's frozen vinegar coating the trees and rocks

Still, I'm sure that market forces will take care of this problem . . .

:rofl:

[phantom power]

3. True. They can sell it to MI, to dissolve the quagga mussels.

Problem solved.

[Nihil]

6. Or, at the very least, to flavour them.

There must be a product opportunity there ...
"Snow Vinegar - picked straight from the tree!"

They could sell it in sushi bars to go with the slices of whale, dolphin,
funny-looking-exotic-coral-fish and Soylent Green ...

:shrug:

[Warpy]

4. That's almost as low as stomach acid

Nothing is going to grow on that mountain for a long time.

[tom_paine]

5. And the Chinese are still ramping up. Ok...ready? One...two...three...go!

"Who could have foreseen this would happen?"

[The Backlash Cometh]

7. Idiots. People who lack vision, have no business ruling the world.