High-frequency field-deployable isotope analyzer for hydrological applications

Abstract

A high-frequency, field-deployable liquid water isotope analyzer was developed. The instrument was deployed for 4 contiguous weeks in the H. J. Andrews Experimental Forest Long-term Ecological Research site in western Oregon, where it was used for real-time measurement of the isotope ratios of precipitation and stream water during three large storm events. We were able to document fine-scale changes in rainfall composition and damping effects in the stream channel continuously through these periods. We also performed a rain-on-snow experiment where we sampled leachate from a melting snow core continuously at 2 min intervals for 5 h. These data show remarkable fine-scale patterns of internal rain-snow mixing, patterns that would not have been detected without such high-frequency sampling. These two preliminary applications show proof of concept of the new field analyzer, a device that will ultimately provide hydrologists with insight into water flow dynamics with unprecedented frequency over long time scales.

Citation

Berman, Elena S.F.; Gupta, Manish; Gabrielli, Chris; Garland, Tina; McDonnell, Jeffrey J. 2009. High-frequency field-deployable isotope analyzer for hydrological applications. Water Resources Research. 45:W10201 (doi: 10.1029/2009WR008265, 2009): 7 p.