HR: 0800h
AN: C51B-1031    [Abstracts]
TI: Relationship Between Atmospheric Circulation and Winter Precipitation d18O in Central New York State
AU: * Burnett, A W
EM: aburnett@mail.colgate.edu
AF: Colgate University, Geography Department , Hamilton, NY 13035 United States
AU: Mullins, H T
EM: htmullin@syr.edu
AF: Syracuse University, Department of Earth Sciences, Syracuse, NY 13244 United States
AU: Patterson, W P
EM: bill.patterson@usask.ca
AF: University of Saskatchewan, Department of Geological Sciences, Saskatoon, SK S7N 5E2 Canada
AB: Oxygen isotope values of meteoric precipitation (d18O) are strongly influenced by water vapor source and can therefore be used as a tool for the reconstruction of atmospheric circulation. However, this approach requires an understanding of how differing patterns of atmospheric circulation influence precipitation d18O values. This study examines the relationship between atmospheric circulation and winter precipitation d18O values in central New York State. Circulation back trajectories and d18O values for 132 precipitation samples were calculated and combined with an analysis of weather maps to determine the circulation type for each event. Lake effect precipitation generated the lowest d18O values, with low pressure over New England and northwesterly flow over the Great Lakes. Events with the highest d18O values were associated with low pressure north of New York and strong southerly flow within the warm sector. Less frequent were the Atlantic coastal and warm frontal overrunning events, both of which yielded relatively depleted precipitation.
DE: 3344 Paleoclimatology
DE: 1704 Atmospheric sciences
DE: 1719 Hydrology
DE: 1854 Precipitation (3354)
DE: 1040 Isotopic composition/chemistry
SC: Cryosphere [C]
MN: 2004 AGU Fall Meeting