Lab 2

Date: 2080-12-19 (Monday)

CALCULATING THE METEORIC WATER LINE (MWL) FROM

ISOTOPIC DATA IN A WATERSHED
INTRODUCTION
Isotopes are variants of chemical elements that have the same number of protons (and thus the
same atomic number) but differ in the number of neutrons in their atomic nuclei. This difference
in neutron number leads to variations in atomic mass among isotopes of the same element. For
example, Oxygen (chemical symbol O) has three stable isotopes that occur naturally as Oxygen-
16 (16O), Oxyen-17(17O) and Oxygen-18(18O) similarly, Hydrogen (chemical symbol H) has three
isotopes, including two stable isotopes and one radioactive isotope Hydrogen-1 (Protium, 1H)
Hydrogen-2 (Deuterium, 2H) Hydrogen-3 (Tritium, 3H). Every element has its own number of
isotopes. (USA DOE)
Isotopic hydrology is a branch of hydrology that utilizes stable isotopes of water molecules (such
as deuterium, δD, and δ18O) to study the movement, distribution, and transformation of water in
the hydrological cycle. The isotopic composition of water can provide valuable insights into
various hydrological processes and phenomena. Isotopic ratios of oxygen (δ 18O and δ17O) are
widely used in climate and paleoclimate studies to investigate past temperature variations and
changes in atmospheric processes in which isotopic composition of hydrogen (expressed as δD
or δ2H) provides valuable information about water sources, including the origin of precipitation
and groundwater movement in hydrological studies. (Afflolter, et.al. 2015).
The Meteoric Water Line (MWL) is a fundamental concept in isotopic hydrology that represents
the relationship between the isotopic compositions of δD and δ 18O in meteoric (rain) water. The
MWL is typically expressed as a linear regression equation:
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δD=a x δ .O +b

where,
 δD is the deuterium value of the water sample.
 Oxygen-18(δ18O) value of the water sample.
 a is the slope of the MWL (approximately 8)
 b is the y-intercept
The MWL is significant for understanding water cycle processes and sources of precipitation in
the following ways:
1. Origin of precipitation: The isotopic composition of precipitation (rainwater, snow)
reflects the conditions under which water vapor condenses and forms clouds. The MWL
helps identify the origin of precipitation (e.g., local vs. distant sources) based on its
isotopic signature.
2. Hydrological Processes: The MWL can be used to trace the movement of water through
different phases of the hydrological cycle, including evaporation, condensation, and

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Lab 2
Date: 2080-12-19 (Monday)
groundwater recharge. Changes in isotopic ratios provide clues about the processes
influencing water transformation.
3. Climate and Meteorological Studies: Isotopic data, including the MWL, are used in
climate and meteorological studies to investigate past climate conditions, assess changes
in precipitation patterns, and understand the impact of climate variability on the
hydrological cycle.
4. Water Resource Management: Isotopic hydrology contributes to water resource
management by identifying sources of water (e.g., precipitation, groundwater, surface
water) and assessing water availability and quality based on isotopic signatures.
5. Environmental Tracers: Isotopic data, including the MWL, serve as natural tracers in
environmental studies, helping researchers track water movement, identify sources of
contamination, and evaluate ecosystem interactions.
OBJECTIVES
The objectives of the lab experiments to calculate the Meteoric Water Line (MWL) using δD and
δ18O isotopic data obtained from water samples collected in a watershed be stated as follows:
1. To establish the relationship between δD and δ 18O isotopic compositions in water
samples.
2. To quantify the MWL equation for the studied watershed.
METHODS
The steps that had been taken to analyze the isotopic data, including plotting δD vs δ 18O values
and performing linear regression;
1. Data Preparation:
 Organizing the provided data, ensuring accuracy and completeness
 Verifying the format and units of δD and δ18O values to ensure consistency.
2. Plotting δD vs δ18O:
 Using the spreadsheet software i.e. Microsoft Excel to create a scatter plot.
 Plotting δD values on the y-axis and δ18O values on the x-axis.
 Label the axes appropriately as δD ‰ on y-axis and δ18O ‰ on x-axis.
3. Visualization:
 Examine the scatter plot to visualize the distribution of δD and δ18O values.
 Observing for any trends or patterns in the data points.
4. Performing Linear Regression:
 Using the software's regression analysis tool to fit a linear regression model to the
δD vs. δ18O data.
 Performing a squares regression to determine the best-fit line that represents the
relationship between δD and δ18O.
5. Analyzing Regression Results:
 Reviewing the regression output to assess the slope (a) and intercept (b) of the
linear equation (δD = a(δ18O) + b).
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Date: 2080-12-19 (Monday)
 Evaluating the goodness-of-fit statistics (R-squared value) to determine the
strength of the linear relationship.
RESULTS AND DICUSSIONS
The provided data has been plotted in the graph and the linear regression line has also been
drawn accordingly.
1. Understanding the MWL Equation:
 The MWL equations y= 8.4652 x + 17.429 represents the linear relationship between δD
(y-axis) and δ18O (x-axis) isotopic values of the given dataset. In this equation:
 y represents δD (deuterium) isotopic value.
 x represents δ18O (oxygen-18) isotopic value.
 The slope of the line (8.4652) indicates how much δD changes with a unit change in δ 18O.
A higher slope value suggests a strong positive correlation between δD and δ18O.
 The intercept (17.42917.429) represents the δD value when δ^18O is zero, which may
not have a direct physical interpretation but is part of the linear model.
2. Interpreting R2 Value (Coefficient of Determination):
 The R2 value of 0.9898 indicates the goodness of fit of the linear regression model.
 R2 value ranges between 0 and 1, where signifies a perfect fit (all data points lie exactly
on the regression line) and 0 signifies no linear relationship.
 An R2 value of 0.9898 suggests that 98.98% of the variability in δD can be explained by
the variability in δ18O using the linear regression model. This indicates a very strong
linear relationship between δD and δ18O in the dataset.

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f(x) = 8.46521262267251 x + 17.4293368111048
δD = 8δ18O + SMOW
R² = 0.989814118628392
-20
δD (‰ vs SMOW)

-70

-120

-170

-220
-30 -25 -20 -15 -10 -5 0 5
δ18O (‰ vs SMOW) dD

Figure: Meteoric water line of the given data of watershed

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Date: 2080-12-19 (Monday)

CONCLUSION
To sum this work, the analysis of isotopic data from water samples in the watershed has
established a strong linear relationship between δD and δ 18O isotopic compositions, represented
by the Meteoric Water Line (MWL) equation δD=8.4652 δ 18O+17.429. The high R2 value of
0.9898 indicates that 98.98% of the variability in δD can be explained by δ 18O, emphasizing the
reliability of this relationship. The MWL equation and its interpretation provide valuable insights
into water cycle processes and sources of precipitation, contributing to hydrological studies and
environmental monitoring efforts.
References
1. https://www.energy.gov/science/doe-explainsisotopes#:~:text=Isotopes%20are
%20members%20of%20a,number%20on%20the%20Periodic%20Table.
2. https://www.researchgate.net/publication/
282316739_Triple_isotope_dD_d17O_d18O_study_on_precipitation_drip_water_and_sp
eleothem_fluid_inclusions_for_a_Western_Central_European_cave_NW_Switzerland

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