Isotope Hydrology and Meteorology

Isotope Hydrology and Meteorology Research

Isotope Hydrology and Meteorology Research

Isotope hydrology and meteorology is an important discipline that studies isotope fractionation, transport, and mixing in water cycle processes. By tracking changes in hydrogen and oxygen isotope composition in water molecules, we can deeply understand the physical mechanisms of the water cycle, identify water sources, and assess the impact of climate change on the water cycle. Our research covers multiple levels from microscopic isotope fractionation processes to global-scale water cycle simulation.

Core Research Directions

Isotope Fractionation Mechanisms and Processes

  • Isotope fractionation mechanisms during evapotranspiration processes
  • Isotopic distinction between plant transpiration and soil evaporation
  • Isotope fractionation effects in cloud physics processes
  • Isotope fractionation patterns during precipitation processes

Isotope Tracer Technology Applications

  • Using isotope techniques to partition evapotranspiration components (transpiration vs evaporation)
  • Water source identification and pathway tracing
  • Watershed-scale water cycle isotope tracing
High-resolution water vapor oxygen-18 isotope trajectory simulated by IsoHysplit.

Isotope Modeling and Simulation

  • Isotope process parameterization in land surface models
  • Atmospheric boundary layer isotope transport simulation
  • Global-scale isotope cycle modeling
High-resolution water vapor oxygen-18 isotope simulation based on isotope-coupled LES.

Observation Techniques and Methods

  • High-frequency isotope observation technology development
  • Multi-scale isotope observation network construction
  • Isotope observation quality control methods
  • New isotope observation instrument applications
A global database of water vapor isotopes measured with high temporal resolution infrared laser spectroscopy.

Technical Features

IsoLESC Coupled Modeling System

  • Coupling of Large Eddy Simulation (LES) with isotope transport
  • Isotope processes in Land Surface Models (LSM)
  • Isotope fractionation in cloud microphysics processes
  • High-resolution simulation of boundary layer isotope transport

Multi-Scale Observation Capabilities

  • Site-scale high-frequency isotope observations
  • Regional-scale isotope observation networks
  • Global isotope database construction
  • Multi-platform isotope observation technology

Theoretical Innovation and Applications

  • New developments in isotope fractionation theory
  • Applications of isotopes in climate change research
  • Applications of isotopes in eco-hydrology research
  • Applications of isotopes in agricultural hydrology research

Application Areas

  • Climate Change Research: Reconstructing paleoclimate using isotope records
  • Hydrological Cycle Research: Identifying water sources and transport pathways
  • Eco-Hydrology Research: Studying plant water use strategies
  • Agricultural Hydrology Research: Assessing irrigation efficiency and water use
  • Environmental Monitoring: Monitoring water pollution and water quality changes

Open Research Topics

Open Research Topics

Isotope hydrology and meteorology research offers rich research opportunities for graduate students and collaborators. The following are our current research focuses:

Fine-Scale Research on Isotope Fractionation Mechanisms: In-depth study of isotope fractionation mechanisms under different environmental conditions to improve the accuracy of isotope models. This topic will focus on: developing more accurate isotope fractionation parameterization schemes, considering the effects of environmental factors such as temperature, humidity, and wind speed; studying the impact of plant physiological processes on isotope fractionation, including stomatal conductance, leaf area index, etc.; constructing soil water isotope transport models, considering factors such as soil texture and porosity; studying isotope fractionation effects in cloud physics processes, including condensation, evaporation, precipitation, and other processes; developing machine learning prediction models for isotope fractionation to improve prediction accuracy and computational efficiency.
Multi-Scale Isotope Observation Dataset Construction: Building multi-scale isotope observation networks from site to global scales, providing high-quality data support for isotope research. Research includes: collecting and organizing isotope observation data, constructing quality control systems for isotope observation data to ensure data reliability; developing standardized processing methods for isotope observation data; researching spatial interpolation and time series analysis methods for isotope observation data.
Applications of Isotopes in Climate Change Research: Using isotope techniques to study the impact of climate change on the water cycle, providing scientific basis for climate change response. This topic will focus on: studying the impact of modern climate change on isotope fractionation; constructing isotope climate/land surface models to predict future climate change; studying the impact of extreme climate events on isotope fractionation.
Applications of Isotopes in Eco-Hydrology Research: Using isotope techniques to study water use strategies and water cycle processes in ecosystems. Research focuses include: studying water use strategies of different vegetation types; constructing identification methods for plant water sources; studying isotope assessment of ecosystem water use efficiency; developing isotope-based ecosystem water cycle models; studying applications of isotopes in agricultural hydrology research; constructing application frameworks for isotopes in wetland ecosystem research.

We welcome graduate students and collaborators interested in any of the above topics to contact us and jointly advance the innovative development of isotope hydrology and meteorology research!

Selected Related Publications (# indicates corresponding author):

  • Wei, Z.#, Lee, X., Patton, E. G. (2018). IsoLESC: A coupled isotope-LSM-LES-cloud modeling system to investigate the water budget in the atmospheric boundary layer. Journal of Advances in Modeling Earth Systems, 10, 2589-2617.

  • Wei, Z.#, Yoshimura, K., Okazaki, A., Kim, W., Liu, Z., Yokoi, M. (2015). Partitioning of evapotranspiration using high-frequency water vapor isotopic measurement over a rice paddy field. Water Resources Research, 51(5), 3716-3729.

  • Wei, Z.#, Lee, X., Aemisegger, F., Benetti, M., Berkelhammer, M., Casado, M., Caylor, K., Christner, E., Dyroff, C., Garcia, O., González, Y., Griffis, T., Kurita, N., Liang, J., Liang, M.-C., Lin, G., Noone, D., Gribanov, K., Munksgaard, N., Schneider, M., Ritter, F., Steen-Larsen, H., Vallet Coulomb, C., Wen, X., Wright, J. S., Xiao, W., Yoshimura, K. (2019). A global database of water vapor isotopes measured with high temporal resolution infrared laser spectroscopy. Scientific Data, 6, 180302.

  • Xiao, W.#, Wei, Z.#, Wen, X. (2018). Evapotranspiration partitioning at the ecosystem scale using the stable isotope method - A review. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 263, 346-361.

  • Wei, Z.#, Lee, X., Xiao, W., Wen, X. (2018). Evapotranspiration partitioning for three agro-ecosystems with contrasting moisture conditions: a comparison of an isotope method and a two-source model calculation. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology, 252, 296-310.

  • Wei, Z.#, Lee, X., Seeboonruang, U., Koike, M., Yoshimura, K. (2018). Influences of large-scale convection and moisture source on monthly precipitation isotope ratios observed in Thailand, Southeast Asia. Earth and Planetary Science Letters, 488, 181-192.

  • Wei, Z.#, Lee, X. (2019). The utility of near-surface water vapor deuterium excess as an indicator of atmospheric moisture source. Journal of Hydrology, 577, 123923.

  • Wei, Z.#, Yoshimura, K., Okazaki, A., Ono, K., Kim, W., Yokoi, M., Lai, C.-T. (2016). Understanding the variability of water isotopologues in near-surface atmospheric moisture over a humid subtropical rice paddy in Tsukuba, Japan. Journal of Hydrology, 533, 91-102.

  • Wei, Z.#, Yoshimura, K., Okazaki, A., Kim, W., Liu, Z., Yokoi, M. (2014). INVESTIGATING VEGETATION-ATMOSPHERE WATER EXCHANGE BY USING HIGH FREQUENCY SPECTROSCOPY VAPOR ISOTOPE OBSERVATIONS. JSCE, 58, 181-186.

  • More related research results will be published successively…