Winter precipitation isotope slopes of the contiguous USA and their relationship to the Pacific/North American (PNA) pattern

This study compares the synoptic-dynamic relationship between two phases of the Pacific/North American (PNA) pattern and winter precipitation isotopes at 73 sites across the contiguous USA. We use the spatial pattern of isotope slope—the rate of changes in precipitation isotope ratios with distance—to identify features in the seasonal precipitation isotope fields related to climatic patterns, PNA positive and PNA negative. Our results show relationships between zones of high isotope slopes and the spatial position of the polar jet stream and juxtaposition of air masses associated with the PNA pattern. During a positive PNA winter, zones of high isotope slope in the eastern USA shift southward. This change is coincident with a southward displacement of the polar jet stream in this region, which leads to a greater frequency of polar air masses and ¹⁸O-depleted isotope values of precipitation in the region. In the western USA, zones of high slope shift eastward during the positive PNA winter, associated with more frequent penetration of tropical air masses that bring ¹⁸O-enriched precipitation to the region. Differences in δ¹⁸O/temperature relationships between the PNA-positive and -negative winters and contrasting δ¹⁸O/temperature behaviors in the eastern and western USA provide support for the role of variation in moisture source and transport as a control on the isotopic patterns. These findings highlight the importance of synoptic climate driven by PNA pattern in determining the spatial patterns of precipitation isotopes and provide constraints on paleo-water isotope interpretation and modern isotope hydrological processes.     

Characterization of precipitation δ 18O variation in Nagqu, central Tibetan Plateau and its climatic controls

The stable isotopic composition of precipitation in different regions reflects climatic factors such as temperature, precipitation, moisture sources, and transport process. However, the isotopic variation in the region is usually much complicated due to the combined influences of these factors. A good understanding of climatic controls on the isotopic composition of precipitation can contribute to the study on isotopic tracer for climate and hydrology. To investigate the isotopic variation of precipitation and its climatic controls in the middle of the Tibetan Plateau, a monitoring station for stable isotope in precipitation has been established in Nagqu region, central Tibetan Plateau. We obtained 79 daily samples at Nagqu Meteorological Station in 2000. The observed δ ¹⁸O in precipitation showed a distinctly seasonal pattern with higher values in spring and winter and lower values in summer, despite of individually low values in winter due to extremely low temperature. To further understand this pattern, we evaluated the influence of temperature, precipitation, moisture sources, and moisture transport process on precipitation δ ¹⁸O. A multiple linear regression model represents quantitatively the dependence of precipitation δ ¹⁸O on precipitation and temperature: δ ¹⁸O_ppt?=??0.30P???0.11T???14.8 (R ²?=?0.13, n?=?79, P?=?0.005), which indicates δ ¹⁸O values in precipitation are more dependent on precipitation amount than on temperature. In contrast, when the temperature is low enough (<2°C), δ ¹⁸O values in precipitation are mainly dependent on temperature: δ ¹⁸O_ppt?=?0.53T???10.2 (R ²?=?0.44, n?=?19, P?=?0.002). The variation of δ ¹⁸O in precipitation is also closely related to moisture origins and transport trajectories. A model is set up to trace the trajectories for air masses arriving in the observed region, and the results demonstrated that humid marine air masses from the Indian Ocean generally have significantly lower δ ¹⁸O values than dry continental air masses from the north or local re-evaporation. During monsoon precipitation, the distance and depth of moisture transport as well as convective precipitation all lead to the large variability of δ ¹⁸O in precipitation.     

20th century seasonal moisture balance in Southeast Asian montane forests from tree cellulose δ18O

The seasonally varying moisture balance in a montane forest of Southeast Asia is reconstructed for the 20th century from the oxygen isotopic composition (δ¹⁸O) of subannual tree cellulose samples of Pinus kesiya growing at 1,500?m elevation on Doi Chiang Dao in northern Thailand. The cellulose δ¹⁸O values exhibit a distinctive annual cycle with amplitude of up to 12?‰, which we interpret to represent primarily the seasonal cycle of precipitation δ¹⁸O. The annual mean δ¹⁸O values correlate significantly with the amount of summer monsoon precipitation, and suggest a temporal weakening relationship between the South Asian monsoon and El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation over the late 20th century. The cellulose δ¹⁸O annual maxima values, which reflect the dry season moisture status, have declined progressively over the 20th century by about 3.5?‰. We interpret this to indicate a change in the contribution of the isotopically distinct fog water to the dry season soil moisture in response to rising temperature as well as deforestation.     

Stable isotopes in precipitation recording South American summer monsoon and ENSO variability: observations and model results

The South American Summer Monsoon (SASM) is a prominent feature of summertime climate over South America and has been identified in a number of paleoclimatic records from across the continent, including records based on stable isotopes. The relationship between the stable isotopic composition of precipitation and interannual variations in monsoon strength, however, has received little attention so far. Here we investigate how variations in the intensity of the SASM influence δ¹⁸O in precipitation based on both observational data and Atmospheric General Circulation Model (AGCM) simulations. An index of vertical wind shear over the SASM entrance (low level) and exit (upper level) region over the western equatorial Atlantic is used to define interannual variations in summer monsoon strength. This index is closely correlated with variations in deep convection over tropical and subtropical South America during the mature stage of the SASM. Observational data from the International Atomic Energy Agency-Global Network of Isotopes in Precipitation (IAEA-GNIP) and from tropical ice cores show a significant negative association between δ¹⁸O and SASM strength over the Amazon basin, SE South America and the central Andes. The more depleted stable isotopic values during intense monsoon seasons are consistent with the so-called ’‘amount effect‘’, often observed in tropical regions. In many locations, however, our results indicate that the moisture transport history and the degree of rainout upstream may be more important factors explaining interannual variations in δ¹⁸O. In many locations the stable isotopic composition is closely related to El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO), even though the moisture source is located over the tropical Atlantic and precipitation is the result of the southward expansion and intensification of the SASM during austral summer. ENSO induces significant atmospheric circulation anomalies over tropical South America, which affect both SASM precipitation and δ¹⁸O variability. Therefore many regions show a weakened relationship between SASM and δ¹⁸O, once the SASM signal is decomposed into its ENSO-, and non-ENSO-related variance.     

Climate controls on rainfall isotopes and their effects on cave drip water and speleothem growth: the case of Molinos cave (Teruel,NE Spain)

The interpretation of stable isotopes in speleothems in terms of past temperature variability or precipitation rates requires a comprehensive understanding of the climatic factors and processes that influence the δ¹⁸O signal in the way through the atmosphere to the cave, where carbonate precipitates acquiring its final isotopic composition. This study presents for the first time in the Iberia Peninsula an integrated analysis of the isotopic composition of rainfall (δ¹⁸O_p) during 2010–2012 years and, through a detailed monitoring survey, the transference of the primary isotopic signal throughout the soil and epikarst into the Molinos cave (Teruel, NE Spain). Both air temperature and amount of precipitation have an important effect on δ¹⁸O_p values, clearly imprinting a seasonal variability modulated by an amount effect when rainfall events are more frequent or intense. Air mass history and atmospheric circulation influences are considered through the study of weather types, synoptic-scale climate patterns and large-scale atmospheric circulation indexes (North Atlantic Oscillation and Western Mediterranean Oscillation) revealing a dominant source effect on δ¹⁸O_p values in this region where tropical North Atlantic and Western Mediterranean are the two moisture source regions. A delay of 2–3 months occurs between the dripwater oxygen isotopic composition (δ¹⁸O_d) respect to δ¹⁸O_p values as a consequence of large residence time in the epikarst. Limited calcite precipitates are found from winter to spring when δ¹⁸O_d values are less negative and dripwater rates are constant. This study suggests that NE Iberian δ¹⁸O_calcite proxy records are best interpreted as reflecting a combination of parameters, not just paleotemperature or paleorainfall and, if extending present-day situation towards the recent past, a biased signal towards winter values should be expected in Molinos speleothem records.     

Oxygen isotopic composition of Central Sierra Nevada precipitation, I. Identification of ice-phase water capture regions in winter storms

Measurements of the stable isotopic ratios of oxygen and simultaneously observed ice crystal structure in freshly fallen snow, have been used to estimate the weighted mean altitudes of ice-phase precipitation formation in winter clouds over the Central Sierra Nevada.Observations of dominant, diffusionally grown ice-crystal habits were used to estimate relatively narrow ranges of temperatures of initial formation of the precipitation particles using the Nakaya (1954) ice-crystal classification techniques. The mean oxygen isotope ratio ¹⁸O/¹⁶O for each snow sample, together with local upper air soundings, were used to estimate ranges of temperature-altitude within the clouds where the precipitating particles had captured their ice-phase water. For this initial study, snow samples were collected each five (5) to ten (10) minutes during three snowfall periods on 27 January, 26 February and 28 February, 1983.For the 27 January case, the ice formation mechanism was predominantly vapor deposition and hence the narrow range of temperatures determined by the ice-crystal habits was directly relatable to the mean δ¹⁸O value.The 26 and 28 February cases were more complicated because the solid-phase precipitation was formed by vapor deposition and by freezing of drops and droplets (which occurs without isotopic fractionation). In these cases, the oxygen isotopic composition of the snow reaching the ground was representative of solid phase precipitation which had formed at warmer temperatures than those corresponding to the primary ice-crystal habits alone. There was no apparent relationship between δ¹⁸O values and surface temperature at the sampling site.If relationships between ¹⁸O/¹⁶O and temperature-altitude are established for this geograpic region for winter snowfall conditions, this crystal habit—isotopic composition technique can provide knowledge about the regions of the clouds in which the ice-phase precipitation is forming over the Central Sierra Nevada.     

Numerical experiments on the impacts of surface evaporation and fractionation factors on stable isotopes in precipitation

The isotope enabled atmospheric water balance model is applied to examine the spatial and temporal variations of δ¹⁸O in precipitation, amount effect and meteoric water lines (MWL) under four scenarios with different fractionation nature and surface evaporation inputs. The experiments are conducted under the same weather forcing in the framework of the water balance and stable water isotope balance. Globally, the spatial patterns of mean δ¹⁸O and global MWLs simulated by four simulation tests are in reasonably good agreement with the Global Network of Isotopes in Precipitation observations. The results indicate that the assumptions of equilibrium fractionation for simulating spatial distribution in mean annual δ¹⁸O and the global MWL, and kinetic fractionation in simulating δ¹⁸O seasonality are acceptable. In Changsha, four simulation tests all reproduce the observed seasonal variations of δ¹⁸O in precipitation. Compared with equilibrium fractionation, the depleted degree of stable isotopes in precipitation is enhanced under kinetic fractionation, in company with a decrease of isotopic seasonality and inter-event variability. The alteration of stable isotopes in precipitation caused by the seasonal variation of stable isotopes in vapour evaporated from the surface is opposite between cold and warm seasons. Four simulations all produce the amount effect commonly observed in monsoon areas. Under kinetic fractionation, the slope of simulated amount effect is closer to the observed one than other scenarios. The MWL for warm and humid climate in monsoon areas are well simulated too. The slopes and intercepts of the simulated MWLs decrease under kinetic fractionation.     

Characterizing atmospheric circulation signals in Greenland ice cores: insights from a weather regime approach

Greenland ice cores offer seasonal to annual records of δ¹⁸O, a proxy for precipitation-weighted temperature, over the last few centuries to millennia. Here, we investigate the regional footprints of the North Atlantic weather regimes on Greenland isotope and climate variability, using a compilation of 22 different shallow ice-cores and the atmospheric pressure conditions from the twentieth century reanalysis (20CR). As a first step we have verified that the leading modes of winter and annual δ¹⁸O are well correlated with oceanic (Atlantic multidecadal oscillation) and atmospheric [North Atlantic oscillation (NAO)] indices respectively, and also marginally with external forcings, thus confirming earlier studies. The link between weather regimes and Greenland precipitation, precipitation-weighted temperature and δ¹⁸O is further explored by using an isotope simulation from the LMDZ-iso model, where the 3-dimensional wind fields are nudged to those of 20CR. In winter, the NAO+ and NAO? regimes in LMDZ-iso produce the largest isotopic changes over the entire Greenland region, with maximum anomalies in the South. Likewise, the Scandinavian blocking and the Atlantic ridge also show remarkable imprints on isotopic composition over the region. To assess the robustness and model dependency of our findings, a second isotope simulation from the isotopic model is also explored. The percentage of Greenland δ¹⁸O variance explained by the ensemble of weather regimes is increased by a factor near two in both LMDZ-iso and IsoGSM when compared to the contribution of the NAO index only. Similarly, weather regimes provide a net gain in the δ¹⁸O variance explained of similar magnitude for the whole set of ice core records. Greenland δ¹⁸O also appears to be locally affected by the low-frequency variations in the centres of action of the weather regimes, with clearer imprints in the LMDZ-iso simulation. This study opens the possibility for reconstructing past changes in the frequencies of occurrence of the weather regimes, which would rely on the sensitive regions identified here, and the use of additional proxies over the North Atlantic region.     

Eemian tropical and subtropical African moisture transport: an isotope modelling study

During the last interglacial insolation maximum (Eemian, MIS 5e) the tropical and subtropical African hydrological cycle was enhanced during boreal summer months. The climate anomalies are examined with a General Circulation Model (ECHAM4) that is equipped with a module for the direct simulation of ¹⁸O and deuterium (H ₂ ¹⁸ O and HDO, respectively) in all components of the hydrological cycle. A mechanism is proposed to explain the physical processes that lead to the modelled anomalies. Differential surface heating due to anomalies in orbital insolation forcing induce a zonal flow which results in enhanced moisture advection and precipitation. Increased cloud cover reduces incoming short wave radiation and induces a cooling between 10°N and 20°N. The isotopic composition of rainfall at these latitudes is therefore significantly altered. Increased amount of precipitation and stronger advection of moisture from the Atlantic result in isotopically more depleted rainfall in the Eemian East African subtropics compared to pre-industrial climate. The East–West gradient of the isotopic rainfall composition reverses in the Eemian simulation towards depleted values in the east, compared to more depleted western African rainfall in the pre-industrial simulation. The modelled re-distribution of δ¹⁸O and δD is the result of a change in the forcing of the zonal flow anomaly. We conclude that the orbitally induced forcing for African monsoon maxima extends further eastward over the continent and leaves a distinct isotopic signal that can be tested against proxy archives, such as lake sediment cores from the Ethiopian region.     

Synoptic and mesoscale controls on the isotopic composition of precipitation in the western United States

We present a new event-scale catalog of stable isotopic measurements from 5?years of storm events at 4 sites in southern California, which is used to understand the storm to storm controls on the isotopic composition of precipitation and validate the event-scale performance of an isotope-enabled GCM simulation (IsoGSM) (Yoshimura et?al. 2008). These analyses are motivated to improve the interpretation of proxy records from this region and provide guidance in testing the skill of GCMs in reproducing the hydrological variability in the western US. We find that approximately 40% of event-scale isotopic variability arises from the percentage of precipitation that is convective and the near surface relative humidity in the days prior to the storms landfall. The additional isotopic variability arises from the fact that storms arriving from different source regions advect moisture of distinct isotopic compositions. We show using both field correlation and Lagrangian trajectory analysis that the advection of subtropical and tropical moisture is important in producing the most isotopically enriched precipitation. The isotopic catalog is then used along with satellite-derived δD retrievals of atmospheric moisture to benchmark the performance of the IsoGSM model for the western US. The model is able to successfully replicate the observed isotopic variability suggesting that it is closely reproducing the moisture transport and storm track dynamics that drive the large storm-to-storm isotopic range. Notably, we find that an increase in moisture flux from the central tropical Pacific leads to a convergence of isotopically enriched water vapor in the subtropics and consequently an increase in δ¹⁸O of precipitation at sites along the entire west coast. Changes in poleward moisture flux from the central Tropical Pacific have important implications for both the global hydrological cycle and regional precipitation amounts and we suggest such changes can be captured through instrumental and proxy-reconstruction of the spatiotemporal isotopic patterns in the precipitation along the west coast of the US.     

Humidity Effect and Its Influence on the Seasonal Distribution of Precipitation δ18O in Monsoon Regions

The humidity effect, namely the markedly positive correlation between the stable isotopic ratio in precipitation and the dew-point deficit △Td in the atmosphere, is put forward firstly and the relationships between the δ18O in precipitation and △Td are analyzed for the Urumqi and Kunming stations, which have completely different climatic characteristics. Although the seasonal variations in δ18O and △Td exhibit differences between the two stations, their humidity effect is notable. The correlation coefficient and its confidence level of the humidity effect are higher than those of the amount effect at Kunming, showing the marked influence of the humidity conditions in the atmosphere on stable isotopes in precipitation.Using a kinetic model for stable isotopic fractionation, and according to the seasonal distribution of meanmonthly temperature at 500 hPa at Kunming, the variations of the δ18O in condensate in cloud aresimulated. A very good agreement between the seasonal variations of the simulated mean δ18O and themean monthly temperature at 500 hPa is obtained, showing that the oxygen stable isotope in condensateof cloud experiences a temperature effect. Such a result is markedly different from the amount effect atthe ground. Based on the simulations of seasonal variations of δ18O in falling raindrops, it can be foundthat, in the dry season from November to April, the increasing trend with falling distance of δ18O in fallingraindrops corresponds remarkably to the great ATd, showing a strong evaporation enrichment function infalling raindrops; however, in the wet season from May to October, the δ18O in falling raindrops displaysan unapparent increase corresponding to the small ATd, except in May. By comparing the simulated meanδ18O at the ground with the actual monthly δ18O in precipitation, we see distinctly that the two monthlyδ18O variations agree very well. On average, the δ18O values are relatively lower because of the highlymoist air, heavy rainfall, small △Td and weak evaporation enrichment function of stable isotopes in thefalling raindrops, under the influence of vapor from the oceans; but they are relatively higher because of the dry air, light rainfall, great △Td and strong evaporation enrichment function in falling raindrops, under the control of the continental air mass. Therefore, the δ18O in precipitation at Kunming can be used to indicate the humidity situation in the atmosphere to a certain degree, and thus indicate the intensity of the precipitation and the strength of the monsoon indirectly. The humidity effect changes not only the magnitude of the stable isotopic ratio in precipitation but also its seasonal distribution due to its influence on the strength of the evaporation enrichment of stable isotopes in falling raindrops and the direction of the net mass transfer of stable isotopes between the atmosphere and the raindrops. Consequently, it is inferred that the humidity effect is probably one of the foremost causes generating the amount effect.     

Variations of δ^18 O in Precipitation along Vapor Transport Paths

Three sampling cross sections along the south path starting from the Tropics through the vapor passage in the Yunnan-Guizhou Plateau to the middle-low reaches of the Yangtze River, the north path from West China, via North China, to Japan under the westerlies, and the plateau path from South Asia over the Himalayas to the northern Tibetan Plateau, are set up, based on the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency)/WMO global survey network and sampling sites on the Tibetan Plateau. The variations, and the relationship with precipitation and temperature, of the δ^18 O in precipitation along the three cross sections are analyzed and compared. Along the south path, the seasonal differences of mean δ^18 O in precipitation are small at the stations located in the Tropics, but increase markedly from Bangkok towards the north, with the 51so in the rainy season smaller than inthe dry season. The δ^18 O sovalues in precipitation fluctuate on the whole, which shows that there are different vapor sources. Along the north path, the seasonal differences of the mean δ^18 O in precipitation for the stations in the west of Zhengzhou are all greater than in the east of Zhengzhou. During the cold half of the year, the mean δ^18 O in precipitation reaches its minimum at Uriimqi with the lowest temperature due to the wide, cold high pressure over Mongolia, then increases gradually with longitude, and remains at roughly the same level at the stations eastward from Zhengzhou. During the warm half of the year, the δ^18 O values in precipitation are lower in the east than in the west, markedly influenced by the summer monsoon over East Asia. Along the plateau path, the mean δ^18 O values in precipitation in the rainy season are correspondingly high in the southern parts of the Indian subcontinent, and then decrease gradually with latitude. A sharp depletion of the stable isotopic compositions in precipitation takes place due to the very strong rainout of the stable isotopic compositions in vapor in the process of lifting over the southern slope of the Himalayas. The low level of the δ^18 O in precipitation is from Nyalam to the Tanggula Mountains during the rainy season,but δ^18 O increases persistently with increasing latitude from the Tanggula Mountains to the northern Tibetan Plateau because of the replenishment of vapor with relatively heavy stable isotopic compositions originating from the inner plateau. During the dry season, the mean δ^18 O values in precipitation basically decrease along the path from the south to the north. Generally, the mean δ^18 O in precipitation during the rainy season is lower than in the dry season for the regions controlled by the monsoons over South Asia or the plateau, and opposite for the regions without a monsoon or with a weak monsoon.     

Circulation effect: response of precipitation δ18O to the ENSO cycle in monsoon regions of China

Inter-annual variation in the ratio of ¹⁸O to ¹⁶O of precipitation (δ¹⁸O_p) in the monsoon regions of China (MRC, area approximately east of 100°E) has not yet been fully analyzed. Based on an analysis of the relationships between the time series of amount-weighted mean annual δ¹⁸O in precipitation (δ¹⁸O_w) and meteorological variables such as temperature, precipitation as well as atmospheric/oceanic circulation indices, it is recognized that the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle appears to be the dominant control on the inter-annual variation in δ¹⁸O_p in the MRC. Further analysis shows that the trade wind plays a role in governing δ¹⁸O_w through affecting the intensity of the different summer monsoon circulations which are closely linked to the weakening (weaker than normal) and strengthening (stronger than normal) of the trade wind and gives the δ¹⁸O_w different values at or over inter-annual timescales. The southwest monsoon (SWM) drives long-distance transport of water vapor from Indian Ocean to the MRC, and along this pathway increasing rainout leads to more negative δ¹⁸O_w via Rayleigh distillation processes. In contrast, the southeast monsoon (SEM), which is consistent with the changes in the strength of the West Pacific subtropical high, drives short-distance water vapor transport from the West Pacific Ocean to the MRC and leads to less negative δ¹⁸O_w. Therefore, the δ¹⁸O_w value directly reflects the differences in influence between the SWM, which is strong when the SE trade wind is strong, and the SEM, which is strong when the SE trade wind is weak. In addition, the South China Sea Monsoon also transports local water vapor as well as plays a role in achieving the synchronization between the δ¹⁸O_w and ENSO. The author thus terms the δ¹⁸O_p rhythm in the MRC the “circulation effect”. In turn, the δ¹⁸O_p variation in the MRC has the potential to provide information on atmospheric circulation and the signal of δ¹⁸O_p recorded in natural archives can then be used to deduce a long-term behavior of the tropical climate system.     

Relative humidity history on the Batang–Litang Plateau of western China since 1755 reconstructed from tree-ring δ18O and δD

We measured the annual variation in the stable isotopes of oxygen (δ¹⁸O) and hydrogen (δD) in tree rings of Abies georgei on the Batang–Litang Plateau of western China. Although correlations between tree-ring δ¹⁸O and δD are relatively weak in semi-arid regions, we found a strong correlation between the δ¹⁸O and δD time series from 1755 to 2009 under the wetter environment. Tree-ring δ¹⁸O and δD time series are both significantly and negatively correlated with moisture conditions from June to August, including relative humidity and total precipitation, respectively, from 1960 to 2009. Considering the difference in low-frequency domain between the two isotopes, the relative humidity histories from June to August, reconstructed separately from the tree-ring δ¹⁸O and δD data with instrumental climate data, reveal a persistent drying trend since 1850s, especially since the early 1970s. There is an obvious offset of reconstructed relative humidity from tree-ring δ¹⁸O and δD in the period 1755–1820, despite the strong similarity in their 21-year moving averages. The decreased relative humidity since the 1850s may be associated with the thermal contrast between the sea surface temperature of the Indian Ocean and the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, which determines the strength of moisture transfer via the Indian summer monsoon.     

Spring-summer temperatures since AD 1780 reconstructed from stable oxygen isotope ratios in white spruce tree-rings from the Mackenzie Delta,northwestern Canada

High-latitude δ¹⁸O archives deriving from meteoric water (e.g., tree-rings and ice-cores) can provide valuable information on past temperature variability, but stationarity of temperature signals in these archives depends on the stability of moisture source/trajectory and precipitation seasonality, both of which can be affected by atmospheric circulation changes. A tree-ring δ¹⁸O record (AD 1780–2003) from the Mackenzie Delta is evaluated as a temperature proxy based on linear regression diagnostics. The primary source of moisture for this region is the North Pacific and, thus, North Pacific atmospheric circulation variability could potentially affect the tree-ring δ¹⁸O-temperature signal. Over the instrumental period (AD 1892–2003), tree-ring δ¹⁸O explained 29 % of interannual variability in April–July minimum temperatures, and the explained variability increases substantially at lower-frequencies. A split-period calibration/verification analysis found the δ¹⁸O-temperature relation was time-stable, which supported a temperature reconstruction back to AD 1780. The stability of the δ¹⁸O-temperature signal indirectly implies the study region is insensitive to North Pacific circulation effects, since North Pacific circulation was not constant over the calibration period. Simulations from the NASA-GISS ModelE isotope-enabled general circulation model confirm that meteoric δ¹⁸O and precipitation seasonality in the study region are likely insensitive to North Pacific circulation effects, highlighting the paleoclimatic value of tree-ring and possibly other δ¹⁸O records from this region. Our δ¹⁸O-based temperature reconstruction is the first of its kind in northwestern North America, and one of few worldwide, and provides a long-term context for evaluating recent climate warming in the Mackenzie Delta region.     

A multi-proxy approach for revealing recent climatic changes in the Russian Altai

For the first time we present a multi-proxy data set for the Russian Altai, consisting of Siberian larch tree-ring width (TRW), latewood density (MXD), δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O in cellulose chronologies obtained for the period 1779–2007 and cell wall thickness (CWT) for 1900–2008. All of these parameters agree well between each other in the high-frequency variability, while the low-frequency climate information shows systematic differences. The correlation analysis with temperature and precipitation data from the closest weather station and gridded data revealed that annual TRW, MXD, CWT, and δ¹³C data contain a strong summer temperature signal, while δ¹⁸O in cellulose represents a mixed summer and winter temperature and precipitation signal. The temperature and precipitation reconstructions from the Belukha ice core and Teletskoe lake sediments were used to investigate the correspondence of different independent proxies. Low frequency patterns in TRW and δ¹³C chronologies are consistent with temperature reconstructions from nearby Belukha ice core and Teletskoe lake sediments showing a pronounced warming trend in the last century. Their combination could be used for the regional temperature reconstruction. The long-term δ¹⁸O trend agrees with the precipitation reconstruction from the Teletskoe lake sediment indicating more humid conditions during the twentieth century. Therefore, these two proxies could be combined for the precipitation reconstruction.     

Distinguishing the Regional Atmospheric Controls on Precipitation Isotopic Variability in the Central-Southeast Portion of Brazil

Precipitation isotope ratios (O and H) record the history of water phase transitions and fractionation processes during moisture transport and rainfall formation. Here, we evaluated the isotopic composition of precipitation over the central-southeastern region of Brazil at different timescales. Monthly isotopic compositions were associated with classical effects (rainfall amount, seasonality, and continentality), demonstrating the importance of vapor recirculation processes and different regional atmospheric systems (South American Convergence Zone-SACZ and Cold Fronts-CF). While moisture recycling and regional atmospheric processes may also be observed on a daily timescale, classical effects such as the amount effect were not strongly correlated (δ¹⁸O-precipitation rate r ≤ –0.37). Daily variability revealed specific climatic features, such as δ¹⁸O depleted values (~ –6‰ to –8‰) during the wet season were associated with strong convective activity and large moisture availability. Daily isotopic analysis revealed the role of different moisture sources and transport effects. Isotope ratios combined with d-excess explain how atmospheric recirculation processes interact with convective activity during rainfall formation processes. Our findings provide a new understanding of rainfall sampling timescales and highlight the importance of water isotopes to decipher key hydrometeorological processes in a complex spatial and temporal context in central-southeastern Brazil.     

Relationship between stable isotope ratios and drop size distribution in tropical rainfall

We carried out simultaneous measurements of drop size distribution (DSD) and stable oxygen and hydrogen isotopic compositions (??¹⁸O and ??D) of rain at the National Atmospheric Research Laboratory (NARL), Gadanki (13.5°N, 79.2°E), southern India, during September?COctober 2006, with the aim of understanding microphysical processes leading to rain formation. The MST radar at NARL was operated continuously during rain events, while rain samples were collected at very short time intervals (<1?h), to capture small changes (>0.2?? and >2??) in their ??¹⁸O and ??D. The slope of the local meteoric water line (??D?C??¹⁸O line), was 8.07?±?0.47, similar to that of global meteoric water line, confirming that the precipitation occurred under isotopic equilibrium, and was unaffected by some anomalous process; further, the evaporation of rain drops at the cloud base was insignificant. Whenever the isotopic variations were larger during a rain event (>2??) there was a significant negative correlation between the ??¹⁸O and DSD. The possible explanation is that larger drops are mostly associated with convective rather than stratiform rain, and ¹⁸O (and D) depletion in convective rain is relatively more. Bin-resolved microphysical models incorporating water isotopologues could benefit by considering drop size spectra, which could improve the match with stable isotope observations of precipitation.     

Summer maximum temperature in northern France over the past century: instrumental data versus multiple proxies (tree-ring isotopes, grape harvest dates and forest fires)

Changes in maximum spring and summer temperature are expected to have impacts on plant phenology and the occurrence of forest fires. Homogenised instrumental records of maximum spring and summer temperature are available in northern France for the past century, as well as documentary records of grape harvest dates and forest fire frequencies. Here we provide a new proxy of seasonal climate obtained by the analysis of latewood tree ring cellulose isotopic composition (δ¹⁸O, δ¹³C and δD), from 15 living oak trees (Quercus petraea) sampled in the Fontainebleau forest, near Paris. For the past 30 years, we have conducted a study on the inter-tree (for oxygen isotopes) and inter-station (for oxygen and hydrogen) isotopic variability. Multiple linear regression statistical analyses are used to assess the response function of documentary and tree-ring isotopic records to a variety of climatic and hydrological parameters. This calibration study highlights the correlation between latewood tree-ring δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C, grape harvest dates and numbers of forest fire starts with maximum growing season (April to September) temperature, showing the potential of multiple proxy reconstructions to assess the past fluctuations of this parameter prior to the instrumental period.     

The application of tree-rings and stable isotopes for reconstructions of climate conditions in the Russian Altai

We present new tree-ring width, δ¹³C, and δ¹⁸O chronologies from the Koksu site (49°N, 86° E, 2,200 m asl), situated in the Russian Altai. A strong temperature signal is recorded in the tree-ring width (June-July) and stable isotope (July-August) chronologies, a July precipitation signal captured by the stable isotope data. To investigate the nature of common climatic patterns, our new chronologies are compared with previously published tree-ring and stable isotope data from other sites in the Altai region. The temperature signal preserved in the conifer trees is strongly expressed at local and regional scales for all studied sites, resulting in even stronger temperature and precipitation signals in combined average chronologies compared to separate chronologies. This enables the reconstruction of June-July and July-August temperatures for the last 200 years using tree-ring and stable carbon isotopes. A July precipitation reconstruction based on oxygen isotopic variability recorded in tree-rings can potentially improve the understanding of hydrological changes and the occurrence of extreme events in the Russian Altai.