Estimating the criterion for determining water vapour sources of summer precipitation on the northern Tibetan Plateau

• Published in: Hydrological processes Vol. 20; no. 3; pp. 505 - 513
• Main Authors: Yang, Meixue, Yao, Tandong, Wang, Huijun, Tian, Lide, Gou, Xiaohua
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chichester, UK John Wiley & Sons, Ltd 28.02.2006; Wiley
• Subjects: different source water vapour; Earth sciences; Earth, ocean, space; Exact sciences and technology; Geochemistry; Hydrology; Hydrology. Hydrogeology; Isotope geochemistry; Isotope geochemistry. Geochronology; Mineralogy; precipitation; quantitative estimation; Silicates; Tibetan Plateau; Water geochemistry; δ18O; Xizang China; Far East; China; Qinghai-Xizang Plateau; China, People's Rep., Xizang, Tibetan Plateau; experimental studies; rivers; stable isotopes; O-18/O-16; atmospheric precipitation; air; transport; quantitative estimation; surface water; Tibetan Plateau; precipitation; hydrochemistry; Asia; water vapor; different source water vapour; lakes; δ18O; atmospheric circulation; evaporation; monsoons
• ISSN: 0885-6087; 1099-1085
• DOI: 10.1002/hyp.5918

According to the precipitation and δ18O data obtained during the GEWEX Asian Monsoon Experiment–Tibet Intensive Observation Period, based on the knowledge that δ18O is lower in precipitation formed from ocean air mass vapour than that from local evaporation vapour, the water vapour sources can be identified from the δ18O values in precipitation. We attempt to give the identification criterion of δ18O values in precipitation. The threshold values chosen to distinguish between ocean and local sources are δ18O < −20‰ and δ18O > −13‰ respectively. According to this criterion, the proportion of local evaporation‐formed precipitation and ocean air‐mass‐formed precipitation in total precipitation was estimated. The average value of precipitation at three sites (NODA, Amdo and AQB) is 249·76 mm. Among this, precipitation formed directly by the ocean air mass vapour is 80·08 mm at most. Precipitation formed by water vapour evaporated from local places is 117·05 mm at least. That is to say that precipitation formed directly by the ocean air mass vapour accounts for 32·06% of the total precipitation at most. Precipitation formed by water vapour evaporated from local places accounts for 46·86% of the total precipitation at least. At least 21·8% of the total precipitation came from water vapour that was evaporated on the way and transported by the monsoon circulation. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.