Continuous monitoring of summer surface water vapor isotopic composition above the Greenland Ice Sheet

We present here surface water vapor isotopic measurements conducted from June to August 2010 at the NEEM (North Greenland Eemian Drilling Project) camp, NW Greenland (77.45 degrees N, 51.05 degrees W, 2484 m a.s.l.). Measurements were conducted at 9 different heights from 0.1m to 13.5m above the snow surface using two different types of cavity-enhanced near-infrared absorption spectroscopy analyzers. For each instrument specific protocols were developed for calibration and drift corrections. The inter-comparison of corrected results from different instruments reveals excellent reproducibility, stability, and precision with a standard deviations of similar to 0.23 parts per thousand for delta O-18 and similar to 1.4 parts per thousand for delta D. Diurnal and intraseasonal variations show strong relationships between changes in local surface humidity and water vapor isotopic composition, and with local and synoptic weather conditions. This variability probably results from the interplay between local moisture fluxes, linked with firn-air exchanges, boundary layer dynamics, and large-scale moisture advection. Particularly remarkable are several episodes characterized by high (> 40 parts per thousand) surface water vapor deuterium excess. Air mass back-trajectory calculations from atmospheric analyses and water tagging in the LMDZiso (Laboratory of Meteorology Dynamics Zoom-isotopic) atmospheric model reveal that these events are associated with predominant Arctic air mass origin. The analysis suggests that high deuterium excess levels are a result of strong kinetic fractionation during evaporation at the sea-ice margin

Combined measurements of 17Oexcess and d-excess in African monsoon precipitation: Implications for evaluating convective parameterizations

International audienceWater stable isotopes (δ 18 O, δD) are useful tools to depict and to understand the atmospheric water cycle. In tropical regions, they record the variations of convective activity and their implementation in convection schemes brings constraints on our understanding and parameterization of this phenomena. Here, we present for the first time measurements of a new isotopic marker of the hydrological cycle (17 O excess resulting from the combination of δ 17 O and δ 18 O of water) in convective regions on two different time scales: (i) during the African monsoon onset and intra-seasonal variability (Banizoumbou, 2006) and (ii) during the squall line of the 11th of August 2006 (Niamey). 17 O excess responds to the monsoon onset by a~30 per meg increase as well as to different convective processes in squall lines by~20 per meg variations. These variations parallel those of d-excess at first order and display significant correlation with relative humidity in the lower troposphere. Still, higher correlation coefficients are observed between d-excess and relative humidity than between 17 O excess and relative humidity, suggesting a higher influence of relative humidity on d-excess than on 17 O excess. Using a simple reevaporation model and a more sophisticated 2D model of a squall line, we show that reevaporation is the process explaining the increase of d-excess and 17 O excess with relative humidity for these two studies. We also show that the combination of 17 O excess and d-excess is a powerful tool to constrain the representation of isotopic processes during rain reevaporation. In turn, a good representation of such processes enables to use water isotopes to evaluate convective parameterization in atmospheric models

Eight centuries of volcanic signal and climate change at Talos Dome (East Antarctica)

6During 1996 PNRA – ITASE traverse two firn cores were retrieved from the Talos Dome area (East Antarctica) at elevations of 2316 m (TD, 89 m long) and 2246 m (ST556, 19 m long). Cores were dated by using seasonal variations in nss SO42- concentrations coupled with the recognition of tritium marker level (1965-66) and nss SO42- spikes due to the most important volcanic events in the past (Pinatubo 1991, Agung 1963, Krakatoa 1883, Tambora 1815, Kuwae 1452, Unknown 1259). The number of annual layers recognised in the TD and ST556 cores were 779 and 97 respectively. The δD record obtained from the TD core has been compared with others East Antarctic isotope ice core records (Dome C EPICA, South Pole, Taylor Dome). These records suggests cooler climate conditions between the middle of 16th and the beginning of 19th centuries, which might be related to the Little Ice Age (LIA) cold period. Due to the high degree of geographical variability, the strongest LIA cooling was not temporally synchronous over East Antarctica and the analysed records do not provide a coherent picture for East Antarctica. The accumulation rate record presented for the TD core shows a decrease during part of the LIA followed by an increment of about 11% in accumulation during the 20th century. At the ST556 site, the accumulation rate observed during the 20th century was quite stable.nonenoneStenni B.; Proposito M.; Gragnani R.; Flora O.; Jouzel J.; Falourd S. Frezzotti M.Stenni, Barbara; Proposito, M.; Gragnani, R.; Flora, O.; Jouzel, J.; Falourd, S. Frezzotti M

Eight centuries of volcanic signal and climate change at Talos Dome (East Antarctica). - Atmospheres

7nonenoneSTENNI B.; PROPOSITO M.; GRAGNANI R.; FLORA O.; JOUZEL J.; FALOURD S.; FREZZOTTI M.Stenni, B.; Proposito, M.; Gragnani, R.; Flora, Onelio; Jouzel, J.; Falourd, S.; Frezzotti, M

17Oexcess in meteoric water: as a new isotopic parameter to decipher water cycle processes

International audienceClassical water stable isotopes (dD and d18O) have been used for more than 50 years with the aim to understand the links between water cycle and climate. They provide information on either temperature or precipitation changes depending on the latitudes. Their combination, in the so-called d-excess, brings some information on climatic conditions occurring during non equilibrium processes along air masses histories (evaporation over the Oceans, reevaporation of droplets in convective systems, continental recycling or ice crystals formation). Recently, the possibility to measure with high precision d17O in water has enabled to introduce a new parameter, 17Oexcess, resulting from the combination of d18O and d17O. According to both observations and modeling works, this new isotopic parameter is able to decipher some of the non equilibrium processes: when measured in ice core, it is expected to be a more direct tracer of relative humidity of the oceanic evaporative regions than d-excess. In order to better understand what controls this new parameter as well as to extract the maximum climatic information from the combination of 17Oexcess and d-excess, we present different original studies combining these two parameters in several key regions. First, data collected in Niger, West Africa, at scales ranging from the convective system to the seasonal cycle confirm the strong influence of relative humidity on 17Oexcess through the rain reevaporation process. Second, seasonal cycles in the Zongo Valley (Tropical Bolivia) suggest that rain recycling along air masses trajectories have different signatures on d-excess and 17Oexcess leading to decipher the different processes. Third, we study how local processes (precipitation, sublimation) in polar region (Greenland) can affect 17Oexcess archived in ice core with respect to d-excess records through (1) isotopic measurements of vapor versus precipitation collected at the NEEM station and (2) seasonal cycles measured from snow pits

17Oexcess in meteoric water: as a new isotopic parameter to decipher water cycle processes

International audienceClassical water stable isotopes (dD and d18O) have been used for more than 50 years with the aim to understand the links between water cycle and climate. They provide information on either temperature or precipitation changes depending on the latitudes. Their combination, in the so-called d-excess, brings some information on climatic conditions occurring during non equilibrium processes along air masses histories (evaporation over the Oceans, reevaporation of droplets in convective systems, continental recycling or ice crystals formation). Recently, the possibility to measure with high precision d17O in water has enabled to introduce a new parameter, 17Oexcess, resulting from the combination of d18O and d17O. According to both observations and modeling works, this new isotopic parameter is able to decipher some of the non equilibrium processes: when measured in ice core, it is expected to be a more direct tracer of relative humidity of the oceanic evaporative regions than d-excess. In order to better understand what controls this new parameter as well as to extract the maximum climatic information from the combination of 17Oexcess and d-excess, we present different original studies combining these two parameters in several key regions. First, data collected in Niger, West Africa, at scales ranging from the convective system to the seasonal cycle confirm the strong influence of relative humidity on 17Oexcess through the rain reevaporation process. Second, seasonal cycles in the Zongo Valley (Tropical Bolivia) suggest that rain recycling along air masses trajectories have different signatures on d-excess and 17Oexcess leading to decipher the different processes. Third, we study how local processes (precipitation, sublimation) in polar region (Greenland) can affect 17Oexcess archived in ice core with respect to d-excess records through (1) isotopic measurements of vapor versus precipitation collected at the NEEM station and (2) seasonal cycles measured from snow pits

17Oexcess in meteoric water: as a new isotopic parameter to decipher water cycle processes

International audienceClassical water stable isotopes (dD and d18O) have been used for more than 50 years with the aim to understand the links between water cycle and climate. They provide information on either temperature or precipitation changes depending on the latitudes. Their combination, in the so-called d-excess, brings some information on climatic conditions occurring during non equilibrium processes along air masses histories (evaporation over the Oceans, reevaporation of droplets in convective systems, continental recycling or ice crystals formation). Recently, the possibility to measure with high precision d17O in water has enabled to introduce a new parameter, 17Oexcess, resulting from the combination of d18O and d17O. According to both observations and modeling works, this new isotopic parameter is able to decipher some of the non equilibrium processes: when measured in ice core, it is expected to be a more direct tracer of relative humidity of the oceanic evaporative regions than d-excess. In order to better understand what controls this new parameter as well as to extract the maximum climatic information from the combination of 17Oexcess and d-excess, we present different original studies combining these two parameters in several key regions. First, data collected in Niger, West Africa, at scales ranging from the convective system to the seasonal cycle confirm the strong influence of relative humidity on 17Oexcess through the rain reevaporation process. Second, seasonal cycles in the Zongo Valley (Tropical Bolivia) suggest that rain recycling along air masses trajectories have different signatures on d-excess and 17Oexcess leading to decipher the different processes. Third, we study how local processes (precipitation, sublimation) in polar region (Greenland) can affect 17Oexcess archived in ice core with respect to d-excess records through (1) isotopic measurements of vapor versus precipitation collected at the NEEM station and (2) seasonal cycles measured from snow pits

17Oexcess in meteoric water: as a new isotopic parameter to decipher water cycle processes

International audienceClassical water stable isotopes (dD and d18O) have been used for more than 50 years with the aim to understand the links between water cycle and climate. They provide information on either temperature or precipitation changes depending on the latitudes. Their combination, in the so-called d-excess, brings some information on climatic conditions occurring during non equilibrium processes along air masses histories (evaporation over the Oceans, reevaporation of droplets in convective systems, continental recycling or ice crystals formation). Recently, the possibility to measure with high precision d17O in water has enabled to introduce a new parameter, 17Oexcess, resulting from the combination of d18O and d17O. According to both observations and modeling works, this new isotopic parameter is able to decipher some of the non equilibrium processes: when measured in ice core, it is expected to be a more direct tracer of relative humidity of the oceanic evaporative regions than d-excess. In order to better understand what controls this new parameter as well as to extract the maximum climatic information from the combination of 17Oexcess and d-excess, we present different original studies combining these two parameters in several key regions. First, data collected in Niger, West Africa, at scales ranging from the convective system to the seasonal cycle confirm the strong influence of relative humidity on 17Oexcess through the rain reevaporation process. Second, seasonal cycles in the Zongo Valley (Tropical Bolivia) suggest that rain recycling along air masses trajectories have different signatures on d-excess and 17Oexcess leading to decipher the different processes. Third, we study how local processes (precipitation, sublimation) in polar region (Greenland) can affect 17Oexcess archived in ice core with respect to d-excess records through (1) isotopic measurements of vapor versus precipitation collected at the NEEM station and (2) seasonal cycles measured from snow pits