Empirical relationships between elevation and the stable isotope composition of precipitation and surface waters: considerations for studies of paleoelevation change
Top Cited Papers
- 1 January 2001
- journal article
- Published by American Journal of Science (AJS) in American Journal of Science
- Vol. 301 (1) , 1-15
- https://doi.org/10.2475/ajs.301.1.1
Abstract
A compilation of 68 studies from throughout many of the world's mountain belts reveals an empirically consistent and linear relationship between change in elevation and change in the isotopic composition of precipitation along altitudinal transects. The isotopic composition of precipitation decreases linearly with increasing elevation in most regions of the world except in the Himalayas and at elevations >5000 m. There are no significant differences in isotopic lapse rates from most regions of the world (∼0.28 permil/100 m) except at the extreme latitudes where isotopic lapse rates are higher. Given information on past changes in the isotopic composition of precipitation preserved in pedogenic or authigenic minerals, this global isotopic lapse rate can be used to place numerical constraints on the topographic development of some ancient mountain belts or plateaus.Keywords
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