A Precipitation Isotopic Response in 2014-2015 to Moisture Transport Changes in the Central Himalayas

• The impact of moisture transport and sources on precipitation stable isotopes (d(18)O and d-excess) in the central Himalayas are crucial to understanding the climatic archives. However, this is still unclear due to the lack of in-situ observations. Here we present measurements of stable isotopes in precipitation at two stations (Yadong and Pali) in the central Himalayas during 2014-2015. Combined with simulations from the dispersion model FLEXPART, we investigate effects on precipitation stable isotopes related to changes in moisture sources and convections in the region, and possible influence by El Nino. Our results suggest that the moisture supplies related to evaporation over northeastern India and moisture losses related to convective activities over the Bay of Bengal (BoB) and Bangladesh region play important roles in changes in d(18)O and d-excess in precipitation in the Yadong Valley. Outgoing longwave radiation and moisture flux divergence analysis further confirm that the contribution from continental evaporation dominates the moisture supply in the central Himalayas with a lesser contribution from convection over the BoB during the 2015 monsoon season compared with 2014. A change in the altitude effect is observed in 2015, which is more significant than the temperature and precipitation amount effect during the observation period. These findings provide valuable insights into climatic interpretations of paleo-isotopic archives with an isotopic response to changes in moisture transport to the central Himalayas.

Subject headings

NATURVETENSKAP  -- Geovetenskap och miljövetenskap -- Klimatforskning (hsv//swe)

NATURAL SCIENCES  -- Earth and Related Environmental Sciences -- Climate Research (hsv//eng)

Keyword

stable isotopes in precipitation

Tibetan Plateau

Indian summer monsoon

FLEXPART

Himalayas

Publication and Content Type

ref (subject category)

art (subject category)