Australian rainfall isotope variability and its relationship with groundwater

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dc.contributor.authorHughes, CEen_AU
dc.contributor.authorCrawford, Jen_AU
dc.contributor.authorCendón, DIen_AU
dc.contributor.authorMeredith, KTen_AU
dc.contributor.authorHollins, SEen_AU
dc.date.accessioned2022-01-24T04:35:53Zen_AU
dc.date.available2022-01-24T04:35:53Zen_AU
dc.date.issued2017-07-10en_AU
dc.date.statistics2021-12-24en_AU
dc.description.abstractRainfall stable isotope composition varies dramatically across the Australian continent. Using monthly deuterium and oxygen-18 data from 15 Global Network of Isotopes in Precipitation (GNIP), sites the underlying causes for the spatial and temporal variability have been investigated. Because of the island nature of Australia, moisture originates from the Indian Ocean to the west and the Pacific Ocean to the east, and is dominated by the monsoon and tropical cyclones to the north and frontal and low pressure systems to the south. Simple rainfall amount or temperature relationships don’t explain what is observed over this low-elevation continent because of the huge spatial variability in moisture source and synoptic processes. However, latitude, elevation and continentality were found to have some influence on the isotopic average at the 15 sites. Using relationships developed with data from the 15 GNIP sites and additional data from higher elevation sites, an isoscape has been developed. This is used to investigate what drives groundwater recharge at a variety of locations across Australia. In many regions groundwater recharge can be linked isotopically to extreme high rainfall events such as tropical cyclones, east coast lows or major troughs which may occur on sub-annual or decadal time scales. For many inland sites, recharge from such events results from widespread flooding over hundreds or thousands of kilometers, introducing an evaporated signature to the groundwater, or one that reflects a different composition to local rainfall. In contrast, reliable seasonal rainfall from the monsoon in the north, or winter rainfall in the south west leads to groundwater signatures in alluvial, karst and fractured rock aquifers that reflect wet season averages. A better understanding of how these processes vary across the continent improves our ability to apply stable isotopes to trace groundwater recharge and ultimately provides valuable information for water resource managers to understand the sustainability of groundwater and connected surface water systems. © Author(s) 2017. CC Attribution 3.0 License.en_AU
dc.identifier.citationHughes, C., Crawford, J., Cendón, D., Meredith, K., & Hollins, S. (2017). Australian rainfall isotope variability and its relationship with groundwater. Paper presented to the IAHS Scientific Assembly, Port Elizabeth, South Africa,10-14 July 2017. Retrieved from: https://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/IAHS2017/IAHS2017-199.pdfen_AU
dc.identifier.conferenceenddate14 July 2017en_AU
dc.identifier.conferencenameIAHS Scientific Assemblyen_AU
dc.identifier.conferenceplacePort Elizabeth, South Africiaen_AU
dc.identifier.conferencestartdate10 July 2017en_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/IAHS2017/IAHS2017-199.pdfen_AU
dc.identifier.urihttps://apo.ansto.gov.au/dspace/handle/10238/12716en_AU
dc.language.isoenen_AU
dc.publisherCopernicus Publicationsen_AU
dc.subjectAustraliaen_AU
dc.subjectRainen_AU
dc.subjectStable isotopesen_AU
dc.subjectGround wateren_AU
dc.subjectDeuteriumen_AU
dc.subjectOxygen 18en_AU
dc.subjectPrecipitationen_AU
dc.subjectIndian Oceanen_AU
dc.subjectPacific Oceanen_AU
dc.titleAustralian rainfall isotope variability and its relationship with groundwateren_AU
dc.typeConference Abstracten_AU
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