Drivers of δ2H variations in an idealized extratropical cyclone
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Date
2016-05-28
Publication Type
Journal Article
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yes
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Abstract
Numerical model simulations of stable water isotopes help to improve our understanding of the complex processes driving isotopic variability in atmospheric moisture. We use the isotope-enabled Consortium for Small-Scale Modelling (COSMO) model to study the governing mechanisms of δ²H variations in an idealized extratropical cyclone. A set of experiments with differing initial conditions of δ²H in vapor and partly deactivated isotopic fractionation allows us to quantify the relative roles of cloud fractionation and vertical and horizontal advection for the simulated δ²H signals associated with the cyclone and fronts. Horizontal transport determines the large-scale pattern of δ²H in both vapor and precipitation, while fractionation and vertical transport are more important on a smaller scale, near the fronts. During the passage of the cold front fractionation leads to a V-shaped trend of δ²H in precipitation and vapor, which is, for vapor, superimposed on a gradual decrease caused by the arrival of colder air masses.
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published
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Journal / series
Volume
43 (10)
Pages / Article No.
5401 - 5408
Publisher
American Geophysical Union
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Subject
stable water isotopes; extratropical cyclone; numerical modeling
Organisational unit
03854 - Wernli, Johann Heinrich / Wernli, Johann Heinrich