Degree Type
Honors Capstone Project
Date of Submission
Spring 5-1-2013
Capstone Advisor
Don Siegel, Professor, Earth Sciences
Honors Reader
Zunli Lu, Assistant Professor, Earth Sciences
Capstone Major
Physics
Capstone College
Arts and Science
Audio/Visual Component
no
Capstone Prize Winner
no
Won Capstone Funding
no
Honors Categories
Sciences and Engineering
Subject Categories
Physics
Abstract
An analysis of the ion chemistry, δ18O, and δ2H values of precipitation may allow for the characterization of their water sources. As water evaporates, it retains a signature of its source in the ions that it carries and in the amount of fractionation of the oxygen and hydrogen isotopes. Precipitation samples for coastal, lake effect, and continental sources were collected over the months of October- January in Syracuse, New York throughout the duration of each storm, including one hurricane, one thunderstorm, two lake effect snowstorms, and seven rain events. These samples were run through IC, ICP-OES, and cavity ring-down laser ablation spectrometry methods; the measured ion concentrations and isotope values were plotted in partial Piper plots and on the local meteoric water line for each storm, respectively. These results were found to be characteristic of the expected trends for each type of storm.
Recommended Citation
Ringham, Mallory, "Where does the water come from? A temporal geochemical characterization of water sources in the lives of storms" (2013). Renée Crown University Honors Thesis Projects - All. 70.
https://surface.syr.edu/honors_capstone/70
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