Glacier meltwater runoff process analysis using δD and δ18O isotope and chemistry at the remote Laohugou glacier basin in western Qilian Mountains, China

doi:10.1007/s11442-016-1295-y

Abstract

Abstract:

Stable hydrogen and oxygen isotope has important implication on water and moisture transportation tracing research. Based on stable hydrogen (δD) and oxygen (δ¹⁸O) isotope using a Picarro L1102-i and water chemistry (e.g. major ions, pH, EC and TDS) measurement, this study discussed the temporal variation and characteristics of stable hydrogen and oxygen isotope, chemistry (e.g. TDS, pH, EC, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺ and Cl^-) in various water bodies including glacier meltwater runoff, ice and snow, and precipitation at the Laohugou glacier basin during June 2012 to September 2013. Results showed that δD and δ¹⁸O in the meltwater runoff varied obviously with the temporal change from June to September, showing firstly increasing trend and then decreasing trend, with the highest values in July with high air temperature and strong glacier melting, which could indicate the temporal change of glacier melting process and extent. Variations of δD and δ¹⁸O in the runoff were similar with that of snow and ice on the glacier, and the values were also above the GMWL, which probably implied that the glacier runoff was mainly originated from glacier melting and precipitation supply. The glacier meltwater chemical type at the Laohugou glacier basin were mainly composed by Ca-Na-HCO₃-SO₄and Ca-Mg-HCO₃-SO₄, which also varied evidently with the glacier melting process in summer. By analyzing the temporal change of stable hydrogen and oxygen isotope and chemistry in the melting period, we find it is easy to separate the components of the snow and ice, atmospheric precipitation and melt-runoff in the river, which could reflect the change process of glacier melting during the melting period, and thus this work can contribute to the glacier runoff change study of large-scale region by stable isotope and geochemical method in future.

Key words: meltwater runoff, stable hydrogen and oxygen isotope, chemistry, runoff process

Caixia WANG, Zhiwen DONG, Xiang QIN, Jie ZHANG, Wentao DU, Jinkui WU. Glacier meltwater runoff process analysis using δD and δ¹⁸O isotope and chemistry at the remote Laohugou glacier basin in western Qilian Mountains, China[J].Journal of Geographical Sciences, 2016, 26(6): 722-734.

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Sample sites	Elevation (m)	SO₄^2- (μg L^-1)	Mg²⁺ (μg L^-1)	Ca²⁺ (μg L^-1)	HCO₃- (μg L^-1)	Na⁺ (μg L^-1)	EC (μs cm^-1)	pH	TDS (mg L^-1)	δ¹⁸O (‰)	δD (‰)	Chemical type
Snow and ice	4500 -5010	2086.6	115.3	2580	2245.6	1044.1	12.2	5.6	21.3	-15.62	-93.7	Ca-Na- HCO₃-SO₄
Terminus meltwater	4260	5023	2819.1	7313	4703	6910	135	7.39	61.4	-12.7	-87.61	Ca-Na- HCO₃-SO₄
500 m down terminus	4200	12018	2832	6243.2	5011.5	1326	186.5	7.21	124.3	-13.5	-83.9	Ca-Mg- HCO₃-SO₄

Sample	Time	Sample number (n)	SO₄^2- (μg L^-1)	Mg²⁺ (μg L^-1)	Ca²⁺ (μg L^-1)	Cl- (μg L^-1)	Na (μg L^-1)	EC (μs cm^-1)	pH	TDS (mg L^-1)
Melt runoff	June	11	2015.3	982	3214	291	1215	79	7.21	32.1
	July	23	5579	2321	4329	113	2145	146	7.32	86.2
	August	28	3298.6	3176	3876	342	1137	133	7.43	65.4
	September	12	1126.8	874	2569	98	673	65	7.10	43.9

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Glacier meltwater runoff process analysis using δD and δ¹⁸O isotope and chemistry at the remote Laohugou glacier basin in western Qilian Mountains, China

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