Stable isotope tempestology of tropical cyclones across the North Atlantic and Eastern Pacific Ocean basins
Year: 2024
Type: article
Abstract: Tropical cyclones (TCs) are one of the major natural hazards to island and coastal communities and ecosystems. However, isotopic compositions of TC‐derived precipitation (P) in surface water (SW) and groundwater (GW) reservoirs are still lacking. We tested the three main assumptions of the isotope storm “spike” hypothesis (sudden spikes in isotopic ratios). Our database covers 40 TCs and is divided into recent ( N = 778; 2012–2023) and archived ( N = 236; 1984–1995) rainfall isotope observations and SW/GW isotope monitoring ( N = 6013; 2014–2023). Seasonal rainfall contribution from TCs ranged from less than 1% to over 54% (4% on average) between 1984 and 2023. Mean δ 18 O compositions across TCs domains were significantly lower than the regional (noncyclonic) δ 18 O mean (−5.24 ± 4.27‰): maritime (−6.29 ± 3.28‰), coastal (−7.78 ± 4.28‰), and inland (−9.80 ± 5.18‰) values. Coastal and maritime TC convection resulted in large rainfall amounts with high isotope compositions. This could bias past climate reconstructions toward unrealistic drier conditions. Significant δ 18 O and d ‐excess differences were found between storm intensities. P/SW and P/GW isotope ratios revealed the rapid propagation of TC excursions in freshwater systems. Our findings highlight the potential of TC isotope observations for diagnosing intensity and frequency in paleoproxies beyond idealized TC models.
DOI: 10.1111/nyas.15274
Authors: Ricardo Sánchez‐Murillo, Dimitris A. Herrera, Kegan K. Farrick, Germain Esquivel‐Hernández, Rolando Sánchez‐Gutiérrez, Javier Barberena‐Moncada, Jorge Guatemala‐Herrera, Yelba Flores‐Meza, Roberto Cerón‐Pineda, Laura Gil‐Urrutia, Jorge Cardona‐Hernández, Tania Peña‐Paz, Junior O. Hernández‐Ortiz, Wendy Harrison‐Smith, Geoffrey Marshall, Aurel Persoiu, Juan Pérez‐Quezadas, Miguel Mejía‐González, Luis González‐Hita, Marcia Barrera de Calderón, Alejandro García‐Moya, Debora Hernández, Kristen Welsh, Rene M. Price, Diego A. Riveros‐Iregui, Ny Riavo G. Voarintsoa, Joshua C. Bregy, Minerva Sánchez‐Llull, Carlos Alonso‐Hernández, Saúl Santos‐García, Ana M. Durán‐Quesada, Christian Birkel, Jan Boll, Kim M. Cobb, Adrián F. Obando‐Amador, Ingrid M. Vargas‐Azofeifa, Doerthe Tetzlaff, Chris Soulsby, Sylvia G. Dee
Institutions: The University of Texas at Arlington, Universidad Autónoma de Santo Domingo, University of Tennessee at Knoxville, University of the West Indies, Universidad Nacional, National Autonomous University of Nicaragua, Ministerio de Medio Ambiente y Recursos Naturales, Universidad Nacional de Agricultura, National Autonomous University of Honduras, Ministry of Health, Ştefan cel Mare University of Suceava, Emil Racovita Institute of Speleology, Romanian Academy, Instituto de Geología, Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México, Instituto Mexicano de Tecnología del Agua, University of El Salvador, University of Cienfuegos, Centro de Aplicaciones Tecnológicas y Desarrollo Nuclear, Oberlin College, College of The Bahamas, Florida International University, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, University of Houston, Clemson University, International Atomic Energy Agency, Universidad de Costa Rica, Washington State University, Brown University, Humboldt-Universität zu Berlin, Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, University of Aberdeen, Rice University
Language: English
Subfield: Geochemistry and Petrology
Field: Earth and Planetary Sciences
Domain: Physical Sciences
SDG: Climate action
Open Access status: hybrid
Estimated APC paid: $4,840
OpenAlex ID: W4405596383