Influence of the North Atlantic Oscillation on δD and δ18O in meteoric water in the Armenian Highland

Brittingham, Alex; Petrosyan, Zarmandukht; Hepburn, Joseph C.; Richards, Michael P.; Hartman, Gideon

doi:10.1016/j.jhydrol.2019.05.064

Cited by 15 publications

(6 citation statements)

References 79 publications

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“…Since no clear indications arise from elemental analyses (Fig. 6 ) we can just assume that these patterns reflect a strong dust input from the Armenian Highlands probably due to stronger west winds as is the case today 33 . Similar but weaker MS-increases are linked to the palaeosoils of pedocomplexes P-3 and P-2, while the youngest pedocomplex P-0/S2 shows just very weak MS-enrichment.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 94%

“…In order to contextualize last glacial environmental dynamics in the Caucasus area, we first consider the interplay of different large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns affecting Eurasia. Moisture availability in Caucasia and adjacent regions is strongly influenced by the westerly jet and associated storm track positions, the SH with related cold and dry continental air masses, and moisture-bearing Mediterranean cyclonic frontal systems 22 , 33 . With respect to loess formation, it has been argued that loess deposition in higher-latitude Europe and mid-latitude Asia referred to interconnected large-scale atmospheric circulation patterns as evidenced by synchronous LPS build-up 6 , 9 .…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In the North, the massif of the Greater Caucasus shelters the Kura Basin against direct impacts of cold air masses coming from arctic regions. Present-day climate conditions in the northern Armenian Highlands strongly depend on position and strength of westerly storm tracks as well as the Siberian High pressure system (SH) 32 , 33 . Back-trajectory analyses revealed three main modes of moisture transport to the Armenian Highlands: (i) with westerlies from the North Atlantic and the Mediterranean Sea (45%), (ii) via a southerly route from the Red Sea and Persian Gulf (25%), and (iii) along an easterly route crossing the Caspian Sea (30%) 33 .…”

Section: Study Sitementioning

confidence: 99%

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Last glacial loess dynamics in the Southern Caucasus (NE-Armenia) and the phenomenon of missing loess deposition during MIS-2

Wolf

Lomax

Sahakyan

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

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The Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 2 is considered the coldest, driest and stormiest period during the last Glacial-Interglacial cycle in large parts of Eurasia. This resulted from strongly decreased northern hemisphere temperature and related maximum extension of northern ice sheets that strongly reinforced large-scale circulation modes such as westerlies and East Asian Winter Monsoon driven by the Siberian High. Normally, this intensified circulation is reflected by maximum loess deposition in numerous loess regions spanning Europe and Asia. However, here we present a new loess record from the Caucasus region in NE-Armenia providing evidence in support of heavily reduced or even lacking loess formation during the MIS-2. Owing to implementations of comprehensible luminescence dating work and a provenance survey using rock magnetic and geochemical data, we are able to define distinct loess formation phases and to retrace sediment transport pathways. By comparing our results to other Eurasian palaeo-records, we unveil general atmospheric circulation modes that are most likely responsible for loess formation in the Southern Caucasus. Moreover, we try to test different scenarios to explain lacking loess formation during MIS-2. In line with other archive information, we suggest that loess formation was hampered by higher regional moisture conditions caused by a southward-shift of westerlies and renewed moisture absorption over the Black Sea. Our results show that modifications of MIS-2 circulation modes induced a very heterogeneous moisture distribution, particularly in the lower mid-latitudes of Eurasia producing a juxtaposition of very dry (morphodynamically active) and moderately dry (morphodynamically stable) areas.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 94%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Study Sitementioning

confidence: 99%

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Last glacial loess dynamics in the Southern Caucasus (NE-Armenia) and the phenomenon of missing loess deposition during MIS-2

Wolf

Lomax

Sahakyan

et al. 2022

Sci Rep

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“…The stable water isotope signatures of the Ararat Valley groundwater range from −12.67 to −9.44‰ for δ 18 O and from −87.2 to −64.7‰ for δ 2 H (see Table S1 of the ESM). These values can be compared with the isotopic signature of local precipitation sampled in the town of Artashat (sampled during the 12 months period between July 2014 and June 2015; Brittingham et al 2019). Artashat is located in the Ararat Valley (see Fig.…”

Section: Origin Of the Groundwatermentioning

confidence: 99%

Age and origin of groundwater resources in the Ararat Valley, Armenia: a baseline study applying hydrogeochemistry and environmental tracers

et al. 2021

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Within the Ararat Valley (Armenia), a continuously growing water demand (for irrigation and fish farming) and a simultaneous decline in groundwater recharge (due to climate change) result in increasing stress on the local groundwater resources. This detrimental development is reflected by groundwater-level drops and an associated reduction of the area with artesian conditions in the valley centre. This situation calls for increasing efforts aimed at more sustainable water resources management. The aim of this baseline study was the collection of data that allows for study on the origin and age distribution of the Ararat Valley groundwater based on environmental tracers, namely stable (δ2H, δ18O) and radioactive (35S, 3H) isotopes, as well as physical-chemical indicators. The results show that the Ararat Valley receives modern recharge, despite its (semi-)arid climate. While subannual groundwater residence times could be disproved (35S), the detected 3H pattern suggests groundwater ages of several decades, with the oldest waters being recharged around 60 years ago. The differing groundwater ages are reflected by varying scatter of stable isotope and hydrochemical signatures. The presence of young groundwater (i.e., younger that the 1970s), some containing nitrate, indicates groundwater vulnerability and underscores the importance of increased efforts to achieve sustainable management of this natural resource. Since stable isotope signatures indicate the recharge areas to be located in the mountains surrounding the valley, these efforts must not be limited to the central part of the valley where most of the abstraction wells are located.

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“…Compound-specific hydrogen isotope analysis of n -alkanes (δ 2 H wax ) derived from terrestrial and aquatic plant waxes has been shown to record plant source water’s isotopic composition and has thus emerged as a robust proxy for palaeohydrological reconstruction [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 ]. Numerous studies have reported on the wide range of environmental factors which govern hydrogen isotopic fractionation in plant waxes, which include precipitation δ 2 H, precipitation amount, plant type, plant physiology, temperature, aridity, seasonality, and humidity [ 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Investigating Hydrogen Isotope Variation during Heating of n-Alkanes under Limited Oxygen Conditions: Implications for Palaeoclimate Reconstruction in Archaeological Settings

et al. 2021

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This paper reports on a series of heating experiments that focus on n-alkanes extracted from leaf, bark, and xylem tissues of the Celtis australis plant. These lipid biomarkers were analysed for their compound-specific hydrogen isotopic composition (δ2Hwax) under limited oxygen conditions at 150, 250, 350, and 450 °C. Our results reveal isotopic variations in wax lipids of different plant organs during short-term low-temperature combustion. We conclude that, in the absence of a detailed characterisation of the depositional environment in advance of sampling, δ2Hwax values in archaeological or otherwise highly anthropogenic environments should be interpreted cautiously. In addition, we observed that variation is δ2Hwax of leaves is minimal at temperatures ≤ 350 °C, highlighting the potential for δ2Hwax in thermally altered combustion substrates to yield palaeoclimate information, which could allow researchers to investigate links between archaeological and climatic records at a high spatial and temporal resolution.

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Influence of the North Atlantic Oscillation on δD and δ18O in meteoric water in the Armenian Highland

Cited by 15 publications

References 79 publications

Last glacial loess dynamics in the Southern Caucasus (NE-Armenia) and the phenomenon of missing loess deposition during MIS-2

Last glacial loess dynamics in the Southern Caucasus (NE-Armenia) and the phenomenon of missing loess deposition during MIS-2

Age and origin of groundwater resources in the Ararat Valley, Armenia: a baseline study applying hydrogeochemistry and environmental tracers

Investigating Hydrogen Isotope Variation during Heating of n-Alkanes under Limited Oxygen Conditions: Implications for Palaeoclimate Reconstruction in Archaeological Settings

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