Isotope ratios of precipitation and water vapor observed in Typhoon Shanshan

Abstract

Isotope ratios of precipitation and water vapor were observed during the passage of Typhoon Shanshan at Ishigaki Island, southwestern Japan, on 15–16 September 2006. Such high‐resolution isotopic observations allow for qualitative understanding of atmospheric moisture cycling; they revealed that isotope ratios of both the precipitation and water vapor decreased radially inward in the cyclone's outer region; anomalously high isotope ratios appeared in the cyclone's inner region; and d‐excess tended to decrease in the cyclone's inner region. In the cyclone's outer region, the water vapor was isotopically depleted due to the rainout effect which involves both condensation efficiency as reflected in inwardly increasing cloud thickness and isotopic exchange between falling droplets and the ambient water vapor. In contrast, water vapor in the cyclone's inner region was isotopically enriched due to weak rainout effect in conjunction with intensive isotopic recharge from the sea spray and sea surface with heavy isotope ratios. Since water vapor mainly acts as a source of precipitation, the isotope ratios of precipitation also had systematic variation. A unique circumstance is the intensity of isotopic exchange with almost saturated surface air and high winds, causing anomalously high isotope ratios and low d‐excess values in the cyclone's inner region.