Variations in triple oxygen isotope of speleothems from the Asian monsoon region reveal moisture sources over the past 300 years

Abstract

Characterization of moisture origins is crucial to understanding hydroclimatic processes. Nevertheless, documenting past atmospheric moisture contents and their sources remains challenging partially due to insufficient moisture-tracing proxies. Here, we present triple oxygen isotope compositions in 21 cave speleothems from monsoonal Asia to examine spatial moisture origin differences in eastern Asia over the past 300 years. Our data suggest an isotopic equilibrium fractionation during speleothem formation, and thus parent water 17O anomalies (Δ′17O) values reconstructed from speleothems preserve information on moisture origins and recycling across space. Notably, speleothem Δ′17O records exhibit a distinct geographical distribution, with low values in central-eastern and southern China, high values in northwestern and northern China, and relatively high values in the Yangtze River region. This spatial pattern underscores the diverse influence of different moisture sources regulated by regional hydrological circulation, and demonstrates the potential use of speleothem Δ′17O in reconstructing the moisture cycle at spatial scales. © 2023, Springer Nature Limited.