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Using stable isotopes of surface water and groundwater to quantify moisture sources across the Yellow River source region
Author(s) -
Kuang Xingxing,
Luo Xin,
Jiao Jiu Jimmy,
Liang Sihai,
Zhang Xiaolang,
Li Hailong,
Liu Junguo
Publication year - 2019
Publication title -
hydrological processes
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.222
H-Index - 161
eISSN - 1099-1085
pISSN - 0885-6087
DOI - 10.1002/hyp.13441
Subject(s) - tributary , hydrology (agriculture) , surface water , precipitation , drainage basin , groundwater , environmental science , elevation (ballistics) , plateau (mathematics) , monsoon , latitude , geology , climatology , geography , meteorology , mathematical analysis , cartography , geotechnical engineering , geometry , mathematics , geodesy , environmental engineering
Characterization of stable isotope compositions (δ 2 H and δ 18 O) of surface water and groundwater in a catchment is critical for refining moisture sources and establishing modern isotope–elevation relationships for paleoelevation reconstructions. There is no consensus on the moisture sources of precipitation in the Yellow River source region during summer season. This study presents δ 2 H and δ 18 O data from 111 water samples collected from tributaries, mainstream, lakes, and groundwater across the Yellow River source region during summertime. Measured δ 18 O values of the tributaries range from −13.5‰ to −5.8‰ with an average of −11.0‰. Measured δ 18 O values of the groundwater samples range from −12.7‰ to −10.5‰ with an average of −11.9‰. The δ 18 O data of tributary waters display a northward increase of 1.66‰ per degree latitude. The δ 18 O data and d‐excess values imply that moisture sources of the Yellow River source region during summertime are mainly from the mixing of the Indian Summer Monsoon and the Westerlies, local water recycling, and subcloud evaporation. Analysis of tributary δ 18 O data from the Yellow River source region and streamwater and precipitation δ 18 O data from its surrounding areas leads to a best‐fit second‐order polynomial relationship between δ 18 O and elevation over a 4,600 m elevation range. A δ 18 O elevation gradient of −1.6‰/km is also established using these data, and the gradient is in consistence with the δ 18 O elevation gradient of north and eastern plateau. Such relationships can be used for paleoelevation reconstructions in the Yellow River source region.