Seasonal variations of stable isotope in precipitation and moisture transport at Yushu, eastern Tibetan Plateau

• Published in: Science China. Earth sciences 2008-08, Vol.51 (8), p.1121-1128
• Main Authors: Tian, LiDe, Ma, LingLong, Yu, WuSheng, Liu, ZhongFang, Yin, ChangLiang, Zhao, ZhongPing, Tang, Wei, Wang, Yu
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Air masses; Earth and Environmental Science; Earth Sciences; Evaporation; Fluctuations; Isotopes; Mass transport; Moisture; Monsoons; Rain; Seasonal variations; Spatial analysis; Stable isotopes; Studies
• ISSN: 1006-9313; 1674-7313; 1862-2801; 1869-1897
• DOI: 10.1007/s11430-008-0089-1

Precipitation δ 18 O at Yushu, eastern Tibetan Plateau, shows strong fluctuation and lack of clear seasonality. The seasonal pattern of precipitation stable isotope at Yushu is apparently different from either that of the southwest monsoon region to the south or that of the inland region to the north. This different seasonal pattern probably reflects the shift of different moisture sources. In this paper, we present the spatial comparison of the seasonal patterns of precipitation δ 18 O, and calculate the moisture transport flux by using the NCAR/NCEP reanalysis data. This allows us to discuss the relation between moisture transport flux and precipitation δ 18 O. This study shows that both the southwest monsoon from south and inland air mass transport from north affected the seasonal precipitation δ 18 O at Yushu, eastern Tibetan Plateau. Southwest monsoon brings the main part of the moisture, but southwest transport flux is weaker than in the southern part of the Tibetan Plateau. However, contribution of the inland moisture from north or local evaporation moisture is enhanced. The combined effect is the strong fluctuation of summer precipitation δ 18 O at Yushu and comparatively poor seasonality.