The influence of air mass source on the seasonal isotopic composition of precipitation, eastern USA

• Published in: Journal of geochemical exploration 2009-09, Vol.102 (3), p.103-112
• Main Authors: Sjostrom, Derek J., Welker, Jeffrey M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Back trajectory analysis; Deuterium excess; Eastern North America; Oxygen isotope ratios; Precipitation source; Seasonal precipitation
• ISSN: 0375-6742; 1879-1689
• DOI: 10.1016/j.gexplo.2009.03.001

As part of the AIRMoN program, daily precipitation samples have been collected since the early 1990s throughout the eastern and central United States. Using precipitation stable isotope ( δ 18O and δD) and HYSPLIT back trajectory analysis of 591 samples collected by the AIRMoN program from Florida, Illinois, Pennsylvania, Tennessee, Vermont, and West Virginia, amount weighted seasonal average isotopic compositions were calculated for precipitation from Continental, Pacific, Gulf of Mexico, Arctic, North Atlantic, and Mid Atlantic sources. Our results suggest that these sources are isotopically distinct and variable at and among most sites during most seasons. However, in many instances, the isotopic differences of the sources require dramatic changes in precipitation amounts from these sources to modify the seasonal average isotopic composition at a particular site. The relative importance of each source type to the seasonal average isotopic composition is highly variable among and within sites. The largest differences in the isotopic compositions of different sources are in winter and spring precipitation from the high latitude sites. At the Vermont location, the seasonal average isotopic composition is potentially quite sensitive to the relative amounts of precipitation from Arctic and Gulf of Mexico sources.