Seasonal observations of stable isotope variations in a valley catchment, Signy Island, South Orkney Islands
The oxygen and hydrogen isotope composition of waters in a small valley at Signy Island, South Orkney Islands, were monitored over three summers (1999 to 2001). These stable isotopes track water movement through the catchment, especially seasonal precipitation and snow melt. All samples fall close t...
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Cambridge University Press
2002
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ftnerc:oai:nora.nerc.ac.uk:13600 2023-05-15T14:14:51+02:00 Seasonal observations of stable isotope variations in a valley catchment, Signy Island, South Orkney Islands Noon, Philippa E. Leng, M.J. Arrowsmith, C. Edworthy, M.G. Strachan, R.J. 2002 http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/13600/ unknown Cambridge University Press Noon, Philippa E.; Leng, M.J.; Arrowsmith, C.; Edworthy, M.G.; Strachan, R.J. 2002 Seasonal observations of stable isotope variations in a valley catchment, Signy Island, South Orkney Islands. Antarctic Science, 14 (4). 333-342. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102002000159 <https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102002000159> Meteorology and Climatology Hydrology Chemistry Publication - Article PeerReviewed 2002 ftnerc https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102002000159 2023-02-04T19:28:43Z The oxygen and hydrogen isotope composition of waters in a small valley at Signy Island, South Orkney Islands, were monitored over three summers (1999 to 2001). These stable isotopes track water movement through the catchment, especially seasonal precipitation and snow melt. All samples fall close to the regional meteoric water line but factors other than air temperature cause year-to-year variability. Residence times are in the order of days thus the lake water provides an average of precipitation falling only a few days before, except in the winter when the lakes are effectively closed. Freezing of surface waters preserves the isotope signature of the underlying waters from the previous summer. In spring, meltwaters from winter snow are isotopically depleted having delta(18)O and deltaD as low as -13parts per thousand and -100parts per thousand (VSMOW). Ice-cover break-up in late December allows complete water column mixing. By February, the lakes are relatively enriched isotopically (delta(18)O-9parts per thousand) by summer precipitation. Precipitation isotopic composition at Halley Station, Brunt Ice Shelf, is similar, illustrating the broad-scale effects of the Weddell Sea cyclonic atmospheric circulation. These data form a useful reference data-set for the ground-based validation of atmospheric models and palaeoclimate reconstructions in this isolated sector of the South Atlantic Ocean. Article in Journal/Newspaper Antarctic Science Brunt Ice Shelf Ice Shelf Signy Island South Atlantic Ocean South Orkney Islands Weddell Sea Natural Environment Research Council: NERC Open Research Archive Brunt Ice Shelf ENVELOPE(-22.500,-22.500,-74.750,-74.750) Halley Station ENVELOPE(-26.541,-26.541,-75.581,-75.581) Signy Island ENVELOPE(-45.595,-45.595,-60.708,-60.708) South Orkney Islands ENVELOPE(-45.500,-45.500,-60.583,-60.583) Weddell Weddell Sea Antarctic Science 14 4 333 342 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Natural Environment Research Council: NERC Open Research Archive |
op_collection_id |
ftnerc |
language |
unknown |
topic |
Meteorology and Climatology Hydrology Chemistry |
spellingShingle |
Meteorology and Climatology Hydrology Chemistry Noon, Philippa E. Leng, M.J. Arrowsmith, C. Edworthy, M.G. Strachan, R.J. Seasonal observations of stable isotope variations in a valley catchment, Signy Island, South Orkney Islands |
topic_facet |
Meteorology and Climatology Hydrology Chemistry |
description |
The oxygen and hydrogen isotope composition of waters in a small valley at Signy Island, South Orkney Islands, were monitored over three summers (1999 to 2001). These stable isotopes track water movement through the catchment, especially seasonal precipitation and snow melt. All samples fall close to the regional meteoric water line but factors other than air temperature cause year-to-year variability. Residence times are in the order of days thus the lake water provides an average of precipitation falling only a few days before, except in the winter when the lakes are effectively closed. Freezing of surface waters preserves the isotope signature of the underlying waters from the previous summer. In spring, meltwaters from winter snow are isotopically depleted having delta(18)O and deltaD as low as -13parts per thousand and -100parts per thousand (VSMOW). Ice-cover break-up in late December allows complete water column mixing. By February, the lakes are relatively enriched isotopically (delta(18)O-9parts per thousand) by summer precipitation. Precipitation isotopic composition at Halley Station, Brunt Ice Shelf, is similar, illustrating the broad-scale effects of the Weddell Sea cyclonic atmospheric circulation. These data form a useful reference data-set for the ground-based validation of atmospheric models and palaeoclimate reconstructions in this isolated sector of the South Atlantic Ocean. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Noon, Philippa E. Leng, M.J. Arrowsmith, C. Edworthy, M.G. Strachan, R.J. |
author_facet |
Noon, Philippa E. Leng, M.J. Arrowsmith, C. Edworthy, M.G. Strachan, R.J. |
author_sort |
Noon, Philippa E. |
title |
Seasonal observations of stable isotope variations in a valley catchment, Signy Island, South Orkney Islands |
title_short |
Seasonal observations of stable isotope variations in a valley catchment, Signy Island, South Orkney Islands |
title_full |
Seasonal observations of stable isotope variations in a valley catchment, Signy Island, South Orkney Islands |
title_fullStr |
Seasonal observations of stable isotope variations in a valley catchment, Signy Island, South Orkney Islands |
title_full_unstemmed |
Seasonal observations of stable isotope variations in a valley catchment, Signy Island, South Orkney Islands |
title_sort |
seasonal observations of stable isotope variations in a valley catchment, signy island, south orkney islands |
publisher |
Cambridge University Press |
publishDate |
2002 |
url |
http://nora.nerc.ac.uk/id/eprint/13600/ |
long_lat |
ENVELOPE(-22.500,-22.500,-74.750,-74.750) ENVELOPE(-26.541,-26.541,-75.581,-75.581) ENVELOPE(-45.595,-45.595,-60.708,-60.708) ENVELOPE(-45.500,-45.500,-60.583,-60.583) |
geographic |
Brunt Ice Shelf Halley Station Signy Island South Orkney Islands Weddell Weddell Sea |
geographic_facet |
Brunt Ice Shelf Halley Station Signy Island South Orkney Islands Weddell Weddell Sea |
genre |
Antarctic Science Brunt Ice Shelf Ice Shelf Signy Island South Atlantic Ocean South Orkney Islands Weddell Sea |
genre_facet |
Antarctic Science Brunt Ice Shelf Ice Shelf Signy Island South Atlantic Ocean South Orkney Islands Weddell Sea |
op_relation |
Noon, Philippa E.; Leng, M.J.; Arrowsmith, C.; Edworthy, M.G.; Strachan, R.J. 2002 Seasonal observations of stable isotope variations in a valley catchment, Signy Island, South Orkney Islands. Antarctic Science, 14 (4). 333-342. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102002000159 <https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102002000159> |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1017/S0954102002000159 |
container_title |
Antarctic Science |
container_volume |
14 |
container_issue |
4 |
container_start_page |
333 |
op_container_end_page |
342 |
_version_ |
1766287225462456320 |