Isotopes of oxygen-18 and deuterium in precipitation in Slovakia / Izotopy kyslíka-18 A deutéria v zrážkach na Slovensku

Abstract

The article synthesizes available information on isotopic composition of precipitation in Slovakia (the Western Carpathians). Monthly δ 18 O data from eleven stations and period 1988-1997 were used to investigate correlations among the stations, altitude, air temperature and precipitation amount effects. The mean annual altitude and air temperature gradients of δ 18 O in precipitation were 0.21‰/100 m and 0.36‰/1°C, respectively. Maps of spatial distribution of mean annual δ 18 O in precipitation based on both gradients were constructed. The two maps do not significantly differ for the majority of Slovakia. δ 2 H data were available for only three stations. Local meteoric water line derived for the station with the longest data series (δ 2 H = = 7.86δ18 O + 6.99) was close to the Global Meteoric Water line. Its parameters in periods 1991-1993 and 1991-2008 did not change. The study indicates that a more detailed monitoring of isotopic composition of precipitation in mountains should be carried out in the future. The highest station exhibited very small seasonal variability of δ 18 O in precipitation compared to other Slovak stations. The second highest mountain station had significantly higher deuterium excess than the neighboring stations located in the valley. In some analyses the data from the nearest stations situated abroad (Vienna, Krakow) were used.

Indicative mean transit time estimation from δ18O values as groundwater vulnerability indicator in karst-fissure aquifers

“…2) showed the gradient of 0.16 % per 100 m of altitude, in accordance with the gradients previously described (Malík et al 1996;Holko et al 2012). This points to the fact that altitudinal effect still keeps some influence on oxygen isotopes distribution in springs' water, but is not the leading factor in this.…”

“…This was derived from the average altitudinal dependency of d 18 O values found in springs (Fig. 2) and was found to be in accordance with the gradients previously described (Malík et al 1996;Holko et al 2012). In Eq.…”

“…), and as the lowest morphological point corresponds to that of the lowest spring, the total vertical extent of the karstic plateau is 1018 m. Still, these altitudinal differences cannot explain a wide oxygen isotope span of 3.58 %. Two independent studies found the d 18 O altitudinal gradient of 0.1 %/100 m (Malík et al 1996, groundwater in karst springs in mountain ranges of northern Slovakia) and of 0.21 %/100 m (Holko et al 2012, the mean annual altitude gradient in precipitation). Taking these into account, the d 18 O values in groundwater sources of the Muránska planina Plateau should be ranging within an approximate width of interval from 1.0 to 2.1 %, and not 3.58 % as were measured.…”

Oxygen and hydrogen isotopic variations between adjacent drips in three caves at increasing elevation in a temperate coastal rainforest, Vancouver Island, Canada

“…We interpret this increase in deuterium excess to reflect an 597 increase with elevation of the δ 0 value of meteoric precipitation falling on the surface 598 above these three caves. Other studies have shown similar increases although the 599 magnitude of the increase varies widely between sites (Holko et al, 2012;Gonfiantini et 600 al., 2001). The reason for these increases is not well understood.…”

Isotopic hydrograph separation in two small mountain catchments during multiple events

“…In all these cases C e was represented by the isotopic composition of rainfall sampled at high elevation, which was isotopically lighter than both C t and C p . End-members for all events are plotted together with the global and local meteoric water lines in Figure 8 O+10.62), constructed for mountain precipitation (Holko et al, 2012b) differs only slightly from the global line. The position of samples with respect to the local meteoric water line shows that several precipitation samples in both catchments were evaporated, i.e.…”