Revista de Ciencias de la Tierra y Cambio Climático

Abstracto

Stable Isotope Ratios in Meteoric Waters in El Kef Region, Northwestern Tunisia: Implications for Changes of Moisture Sources

Hamed Y

Natural oxygen and hydrogen stable isotopes (δ18O-H2O and δD-H2O) in modern precipitation collected in five months event in 2001 in Northwestern Tunisia (El Kef area) are presented in this paper. The total correlation between δ18O and δD is obtained as the Global Meteoric Water Line and the Local Meteoric Water Line of the Tunis-Carthage. Seasonal variations of the precipitation D-excess provide more details for changes in moisture sources. The lower δD and δ18O values observed at the El Kef site reflect the combined effects of oceanic and sea vapor sources “Atlantic–Mediterranean origin”, fractionation due to local precipitation, and slower equilibration of the larger raindrops nucleated by a maritime aerosol.