Driver of the interannual variations of isotope in ice core from the middle of Tibetan Plateau

Abstract

Understanding the climatic significance of stable isotope in precipitation and ice cores on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) is of critical for the paleoclimate rebuilding. However, there is a gap between the seasonal control of precipitation and long-term isotope record from ice core. Here we present a well-dated ice core isotope record from the middle of the TP (mid-TP). Isotope variations in the past decades from this ice core show strong anti-phase relation with Southern Oscillation Index, confirming unequivocally that the large scale atmospheric circulation through the El Nino Southern Oscillation cycle, rather local climate parameters, controls the interannual signal in ice cores from the mid-TP. Results also show that the cloud top height in the northern Indian Ocean is in association with the interannual variations, confirming the same mechanism controlling the precipitation δ18O in southwest Asia and southeast Asia. The study will improve the understanding of the interannual change of Tibetan Plateau ice core isotope signal, and also the hydrological cycle in the southwest Asian region.