Modelling stable water isotopes: Status and perspectives

Abstract

Modelling of stable water isotopes H218O and HDO within various parts of the Earth's hydrological cycle has clearly improved our understanding of the interplay between climatic variations and related isotope fractionation processes. In this article key principles and major research results of stable water isotope modelling studies are described. Emphasis is put on research work using explicit isotope diagnostics within general circulation models as this highly complex model setup bears many resemblances with studies using simpler isotope modelling approaches.