Reconstruction and Optimization of Tritium Time Series in Precipitation of Beijing, China

Zhai, Yuanzheng; Wang, Jinsheng; Guo, Hui; Cao, Yang; Teng, Yichao

doi:10.1017/s0033822200047810

Cited by 6 publications

(12 citation statements)

References 26 publications

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“…This suggests that the suprapermafrost groundwater has a short flow path or rapid flow resulting in a relatively short residence time and relatively weak water-rock interaction. This is supported by the highest 14 C activity in the suprapermafrost groundwater among all samples, which was 96.34 pmC and close to the atmospheric value (Clark and Fritz, 1997), and a 15.11 TU 3 H concentration, which is an indicator of modern water (Zhai et al, 2013). These data suggest that suprapermafrost groundwater is mainly recharged from recent local precipitation via vertical seepage.…”

Section: Suprapermafrost Groundwatersupporting

confidence: 62%

“…The 3 H concentrations were 15.11 TU in the groundwater sample at cluster WW04, between 16.20 to 24.18 TU in the water at clusters WW01 and WW03, and between 13.61 to 43.59 TU in the springs of the sloping plain (Table 2). Except for one spring sample (QW05), the 3 H concentrations of all samples were < 30 TU, indicating that the groundwater was derived from recent precipitation and some "bomb" related 3 H is possibly presented (Table 2) (Zhai et al, 2013). Along with flow path, 13 C increased from the permafrost zone with values between -13.6 and -16.77 ‰ to higher locations of seasonal frost zone with values around -8.79‰, and further to lower locations of the seasonal frost zone with values around -5.09‰ (Table 2).…”

Section: Radioactive Isotopes and Groundwater Agementioning

confidence: 99%

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Hydrological connectivity from glaciers to rivers in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau: roles of suprapermafrost and subpermafrost groundwater

Ma¹,

Sun²,

Hu³

et al. 2017

Preprint

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Abstract. The roles of subsurface groundwater flow in the hydrological cycle within the alpine area characterized by permafrost and/or seasonal frost are poorly known. We studied the role of permafrost in controlling groundwater flow and the hydrological connections between glaciers in high mountain and river in the low plain with hydraulic head, temperature, geochemical, and isotopic data. The study area was a catchment in the headwater region of the Heihe River in the northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The groundwater in the high mountains mainly occurs as suprapermafrost groundwater, and in the moraine and fluvio-glacial deposits on the planation surfaces of higher hills suprapermafrost, intrapermafrost, and subpermafrost groundwater co-occur. Glacier and snow-meltwater are transported from the high mountains to the plain through stream channels, slope surfaces, and supra- and subpermafrost aquifers. Groundwater in the Quaternary aquifer under the piedmont plain is recharged by the lateral inflow from permafrost groundwaters and the infiltration of streams, and is discharged as baseflow to the stream in the north. Groundwater maintained stream flow over the cold season and significantly contributed to the stream flow during the rainy season. 3H and 14C data indicated that the age of supra- and sub-permafrost groundwater, and groundwater in Quaternary aquifer of seasonal frost zone, ranges from 30–60 years. Two proposed mechanisms contribute to seasonal variation of the aquifer water-conduction capacity: (1) surface drainage through the stream channel during the high-flow period, and (2) subsurface drainage to an artesian aquifer confined by stream icing and seasonal frost during the cold season.

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Section: Suprapermafrost Groundwatersupporting

confidence: 62%

Section: Radioactive Isotopes and Groundwater Agementioning

confidence: 99%

Hydrological connectivity from glaciers to rivers in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau: roles of suprapermafrost and subpermafrost groundwater

Ma¹,

Sun²,

Hu³

et al. 2017

Preprint

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“…Four methods were used to reconstruct precipitation tritium contents, that is, the amount effect method (AEM; Wu, ), TSAM (Watson, ), TM (Celle et al, ), and DRCM (Doney et al, ; Y. Zhang et al, ). The equations are presented in Table and the detailed algorithms have been described by Zhai et al (). Among the four methods, TSAM and TM are interpolation methods, while AEM and DRCM are reference curve methods.…”

Section: Methodsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Zhang et al, 2011). The equations are presented in Table 2 and the detailed algorithms have been described by Zhai et al (2013). Among the four methods, TSAM and TM are interpolation methods, while AEM and DRCM are reference curve methods.…”

Section: Reconstructing Precipitation Tritium Contentsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Some work has been done comparing one approach against another. One of the few studies was by Zhai et al () who compared the performance of four methods including TSAM, TM, latitude effect method, and the DRCM, and found that the reconstructed precipitation tritium contents had an uncertainty range of 133–607 tritium unit (TU), in terms of the standard deviation of the residuals. GCMs can simulate the main characteristics of tritium distributions in the ocean or atmosphere; however, the magnitudes of tritium are not comparable with the observations (Ba & Xu, ; Cauquoin et al, ; Sarmiento, ).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Reconstructed Precipitation Tritium Leads to Overestimated Groundwater Recharge

Cheng

2018

JGR Atmospheres

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Time series of precipitation tritium contents are often used for groundwater recharge estimation based on the tritium mass ratio of the (un) saturated zones to precipitation. But records of the precipitation tritium measurements are sparse and often need to be reconstructed. Uncertainties associated with reconstructed records can affect the recharge estimates, but this has received little attention. Here we leverage four >15 m deep, exceptionally well preserved unsaturated zone tritium profiles to quantify the uncertainty in Tritium mass balance from precipitation tritium reconstruction. The tritium profiles have bomb tritium peaks at 7.2–10.5 m below the surface and peaks ranging from 46 to 235 tritium unit. We first estimate the diffuse recharge by the tritium peak method. Since this method is independent of any precipitation tritium reconstruction, the estimated recharge was used as truth to evaluate four precipitation tritium reconstruction methods: two interpolation methods and two reference curve methods. Direct comparison between the observed and simulated precipitation tritium showed that the reference curve methods performed more poorly than the interpolation methods. Indirect evaluation by comparing the recharge rates estimated by the tritium storage method with our truth measurements showed that tritium storage method overestimated recharge by 100% to 200%. Our results suggest that the atmospheric tritium flux was greatly underestimated, especially by the reference curve methods. As such, groundwater recharge at our sites would be overestimated. This has implications for using these standard approaches elsewhere.

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Reconstruction of the record of tritium in precipitation in the temperate zone of South America

Basaldúa

Alcaraz

Londoño

et al. 2022

Hydrological Processes

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Tritium, a radioisotope of hydrogen, is an ideal tracer for groundwater and surface dating and tracking since it is part of the water molecule. The knowledge of the history of tritium in precipitation and recharge is the key link for the calculation of groundwater tritium age. However, records of tritium in precipitation are usually sparse and discontinuous, especially in regions like South America, and often need to be reconstructed. To solve this problem, different reconstruction methods of the tritium input function have been analysed and compared. Clustering of Global Network of Isotopes in Precipitation stations by regions and the correlation with the complete and continuous data recorded in Kaitoke (New Zealand) proved to be the most effective approach, having low relative errors and a much more extended coverage in time compared to other interpolation or reference curves methods. Thus, tritium time series for five different regions of the temperate zone of South America were obtained. These curves can be used as representative tritium input curves in future studies for these regions. The results obtained also allow a quick qualitative analysis of groundwater ages in these areas, based on their current or past tritium concentrations. In addition, they contributed to the understanding of the patterns and characteristics of tritium distribution in the atmosphere of the southern sector of South

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Reconstruction and Optimization of Tritium Time Series in Precipitation of Beijing, China

Cited by 6 publications

References 26 publications

Hydrological connectivity from glaciers to rivers in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau: roles of suprapermafrost and subpermafrost groundwater

Hydrological connectivity from glaciers to rivers in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau: roles of suprapermafrost and subpermafrost groundwater

Reconstructed Precipitation Tritium Leads to Overestimated Groundwater Recharge

Reconstruction of the record of tritium in precipitation in the temperate zone of South America

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