Stable isotope compositions of precipitation from Gunnison, Colorado 2007–2016: implications for the climatology of a high-elevation valley
Stable isotope ratios of precipitation are useful tracers of climatic and hydrological processes. To better understand the isotope hydro-climatology of a high-elevation Rocky Mountain valley we collected meteoric water samples from Gunnison, Colorado, USA and determined stable isotope values for 239...
| Main Authors: | , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
| Published: |
Elsevier
2019-07-01
|
| Series: | Heliyon |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844019357809 |
| _version_ | 1831602077727457280 |
|---|---|
| author | David W. Marchetti Suzanne B. Marchetti |
| author_facet | David W. Marchetti Suzanne B. Marchetti |
| author_sort | David W. Marchetti |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Stable isotope ratios of precipitation are useful tracers of climatic and hydrological processes. To better understand the isotope hydro-climatology of a high-elevation Rocky Mountain valley we collected meteoric water samples from Gunnison, Colorado, USA and determined stable isotope values for 239 individual precipitation events over a nine year period. Annual precipitation in Gunnison is moderately bi-modal with significant winter snowfall and convective summer thunderstorms associated with the North American Monsoon. Stable isotope values of precipitation span a large range, with summer rains as high as δ2H = +19‰ and δ18O = +4.8‰ (relative to V-SMOW) and winter snowfall as low as δ2H = -286‰ and δ18O = -36.7‰. These data define a local meteoric water line for Gunnison of δ2H = 7.2 δ18O – 4.2. Monthly meteoric water lines have slopes similar to the Global Meteoric Water Line (∼8) for winter months and more evaporated slopes (∼6) during the summer. Monthly mean temperature most strongly controls the monthly isotopic composition of precipitation (m = 0.61–0.64 ‰/°C); the slope of the isotope/temperature relationship is steeper in summer than winter. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-18T15:14:40Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-f4231f693c254bb1848d218975954aee |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2405-8440 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-18T15:14:40Z |
| publishDate | 2019-07-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heliyon |
| spelling | doaj.art-f4231f693c254bb1848d218975954aee2022-12-21T21:03:34ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402019-07-0157e02120Stable isotope compositions of precipitation from Gunnison, Colorado 2007–2016: implications for the climatology of a high-elevation valleyDavid W. Marchetti0Suzanne B. Marchetti1Geology Program, Western Colorado University, 1 Western Way, Gunnison, CO, 81231, USA; Corresponding author.Forest Health Management, Rocky Mountain Region, USDA Forest Service, 216 N. Colorado St., Gunnison, CO, 81230, USAStable isotope ratios of precipitation are useful tracers of climatic and hydrological processes. To better understand the isotope hydro-climatology of a high-elevation Rocky Mountain valley we collected meteoric water samples from Gunnison, Colorado, USA and determined stable isotope values for 239 individual precipitation events over a nine year period. Annual precipitation in Gunnison is moderately bi-modal with significant winter snowfall and convective summer thunderstorms associated with the North American Monsoon. Stable isotope values of precipitation span a large range, with summer rains as high as δ2H = +19‰ and δ18O = +4.8‰ (relative to V-SMOW) and winter snowfall as low as δ2H = -286‰ and δ18O = -36.7‰. These data define a local meteoric water line for Gunnison of δ2H = 7.2 δ18O – 4.2. Monthly meteoric water lines have slopes similar to the Global Meteoric Water Line (∼8) for winter months and more evaporated slopes (∼6) during the summer. Monthly mean temperature most strongly controls the monthly isotopic composition of precipitation (m = 0.61–0.64 ‰/°C); the slope of the isotope/temperature relationship is steeper in summer than winter.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844019357809Atmospheric scienceClimatologyEnvironmental chemistryEarth-surface processesGeochemistryHydrology |
| spellingShingle | David W. Marchetti Suzanne B. Marchetti Stable isotope compositions of precipitation from Gunnison, Colorado 2007–2016: implications for the climatology of a high-elevation valley Heliyon Atmospheric science Climatology Environmental chemistry Earth-surface processes Geochemistry Hydrology |
| title | Stable isotope compositions of precipitation from Gunnison, Colorado 2007–2016: implications for the climatology of a high-elevation valley |
| title_full | Stable isotope compositions of precipitation from Gunnison, Colorado 2007–2016: implications for the climatology of a high-elevation valley |
| title_fullStr | Stable isotope compositions of precipitation from Gunnison, Colorado 2007–2016: implications for the climatology of a high-elevation valley |
| title_full_unstemmed | Stable isotope compositions of precipitation from Gunnison, Colorado 2007–2016: implications for the climatology of a high-elevation valley |
| title_short | Stable isotope compositions of precipitation from Gunnison, Colorado 2007–2016: implications for the climatology of a high-elevation valley |
| title_sort | stable isotope compositions of precipitation from gunnison colorado 2007 2016 implications for the climatology of a high elevation valley |
| topic | Atmospheric science Climatology Environmental chemistry Earth-surface processes Geochemistry Hydrology |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844019357809 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT davidwmarchetti stableisotopecompositionsofprecipitationfromgunnisoncolorado20072016implicationsfortheclimatologyofahighelevationvalley AT suzannebmarchetti stableisotopecompositionsofprecipitationfromgunnisoncolorado20072016implicationsfortheclimatologyofahighelevationvalley |