Climate and Dynamics

Regional downscaling for stable water isotopes: A case study of an atmospheric river event

  1. Kei Yoshimura1,3,
  2. Masao Kanamitsu2,
  3. Michael Dettinger2,4

Article first published online: 23 SEP 2010

DOI: 10.1029/2010JD014032

Issue

Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres (1984–2012)

Journal of Geophysical Research: Atmospheres (1984–2012)

Volume 115, Issue D18, 27 September 2010

Additional Information

How to Cite

Yoshimura, K., M. Kanamitsu, and M. Dettinger (2010), Regional downscaling for stable water isotopes: A case study of an atmospheric river event, J. Geophys. Res., 115, D18114, doi:10.1029/2010JD014032.

Author Information

  1. 1

    Atmosphere and Ocean Research Institute, University of Tokyo, Tokyo, Japan

  2. 2

    Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, La Jolla, California, USA

  3. 3

    Also at Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology, Yokosuka, Japan.

  4. 4

    Also at U.S. Geological Survey, La Jolla, California, USA.

Publication History

  1. Issue published online: 23 SEP 2010
  2. Article first published online: 23 SEP 2010
  3. Manuscript Accepted: 11 MAY 2010
  4. Manuscript Revised: 5 MAY 2010
  5. Manuscript Received: 8 FEB 2010

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Keywords:

  • stable water isotope;
  • regional climate model;
  • Atmospheric River

[1] In this paper an isotope-incorporated regional model is developed and utilized for simulations of an atmospheric river event that occurred in March 2005. A set of sensitivity experiments and comparisons with observations confirm that the kinetic isotopic exchange between falling droplets and ambient water vapor below the cloud base was mostly responsible for the initial enrichment and subsequent rapid drop of the deuterium abundance in precipitation observed during the event even under humid conditions. According to the budget analysis the increase in isotopic composition during the latter half of the event was primarily due to horizontal advection. The contribution of condensation from different atmospheric heights to the ground precipitation was not reflected in the precipitation isotopes.

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