Abstract
On the basis of observational data presented by Sugawara (1956), it is found that the inorganic chemical composition of maritime aerosol, rainwater and snow in Japan differ systemtically from that of the sea water in such a way that logarithm of the enrichment coefficient of ions has an increasing linear relation with logarithm of their atomic weights.
Na, Mg, K, Ca, CO3, Sr and I follow the present relation. F, Fe, Al and SO4 deviate markedly from it. Cl is of intermediate nature.
The chemical data for other regions of the world show that the similar relation seems to hold for rainwaters in the Atlantic Ocean and in coastal areas of the Europe, of the North American Continent and also of the Antarctica.
Discussions are made on possible physical mechanism and meteorological conditions necessary to make up the found empirical law. Some isotope fractionation mechanism like thermo-gravitational effect is suggested to be important for the ionic enrichment at the air-sea interface.
