Analysis of Hydrogen and Oxygen Stable Isotope Characteristics and Vapor Sources of Precipitation in the Guanzhong Plain

Abstract

To improve the understanding of hydrogen and oxygen stable isotope characteristics and vapor sources in the Guanzhong Plain, we collected 98 precipitation samples and corresponding meteorological data between 2015 and 2018 in Yangling, Shanxi Province, which is located in the central area of the Guanzhong Plain. The composition characteristics of the local hydrogen and oxygen stable isotopes of precipitation (δ2H, δ18O, and δ17O) and their environmental controls were analyzed, and the local meteoric water line (LMWL) and the meteoric water line of the triple oxygen isotopes were established. Three indicators (δ18O, d-excess, and 17O-excess) were used to explore the possible vapor sources of local precipitation and to quantify the contributions of ocean-source and inland-source water vapor to the precipitation. The results showed that there were obvious seasonal changes in the hydrogen and oxygen stable isotopes of precipitation in the Yangling area:water isotopes were depleted in the wet season (May to October) and enriched in the dry season (November to April of the next year). Both the slope (7.7) and intercept (9.1) of the LMWL were lower than those of the global meteoric water line (GMWL), indicating that the annual precipitation in the research area experienced variable degrees of secondary evaporation under cloud cover. The slope of the meteoric water line of the triple oxygen isotopes is 0.528, which is between that of seawater equilibrium fractionation (0.529) and water vapor diffusion into dry air (0.518), consistent with the fact that the Guanzhong area is located on the migration path of marine air mass to inland arid regions. Comprehensive analysis of δ18O, d-excess, and 17O-excess confirmed that the precipitation in the study area is jointly contributed to by the warm and humid air mass from the southeast monsoon and the dry and cold air mass from the westerly wind. Of these, approximately 55%-79% of the precipitation water vapor comes from the ocean, mainly in June to August, and about 21%-45% of the water vapor comes from inland and local evaporation, mainly from October to April. The water vapor sources of precipitation in May and September are complex and may intermittently originate from ocean and inland water vapor.