The evolution of ¹⁷O-excess in surface water of the arid environment during recharge and evaporation.

ABSTRACT: This study demonstrates the potential of triple O-isotopes to quantify evaporation with recharge on a salt lake from the Atacama Desert, Chile. An evaporative gradient was found in shallow ponds along a subsurface flow-path from a groundwater source. Total dissolved solids (TDS) increased by 177 g/l along with an increase in δ¹⁸O by 16.2‰ and in δD by 65‰. ¹⁷O-excess decreased by 79 per meg, d-excess by 55‰. Relative humidity (h), evaporation over inflow (E/I), the isotopic composition of vapor (^*R _V ) and of inflowing water (^*R _WI ) determine the isotope distribution in ¹⁷O-excess over δ¹⁸O along a well-defined evaporation curve as the classic Craig-Gordon model predicts. A complementary on-site simple

SUBMITTER: Surma J 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5862851 | biostudies-literature | 2018 Mar

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature