Author ORCID Identifier
https://orcid.org/0009-0003-7643-4788
Date Available
2-12-2025
Year of Publication
2025
Document Type
Master's Thesis
Degree Name
Master of Civil Engineering (MCE)
College
Engineering
Department/School/Program
Civil Engineering
Advisor
Dr. James Fox
Abstract
Our goals were to carry out analyses of a multi-year δ¹⁸O and δ²H dataset of precipitation from central Kentucky and to analyze the source of precipitation for storm events from 2017 to 2022. δ¹⁸O and δ²H were measured for 244 weekly precipitation samples collected by the National Atmospheric Deposition Program at Mackville, Kentucky, USA. Modelling precipitation source was carried out using HYSPLIT model for 414 events. Results of δ¹⁸O and δ²H from central Kentucky show: consistent seasonality, including summer highs and winter lows for δ¹⁸O and δ²H; correlation with air temperature; and general agreement with the global meteoric water line. The isotopic ratios show similar annual distributions across precipitation sources and therefore reflect controls typical of regions in inner continental zones, including equilibrium isotope fractionation followed by rainout occurring in the atmosphere and isotopic fractionation dependent on air temperature during condensation. Meta-analyses of all sites provides a regional local meteoric water line for southern Indiana, southern Ohio and northern and central Kentucky. HYPSLIT results show that the Gulf of Mexico is 46% of precipitation by amount, followed by Continental (25%) and Atlantic (16%) sources. 47% and 58% of extreme events arise from the Gulf by amount and intensity, respectively.
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.13023/etd.2025.04
Recommended Citation
Gold-McCoy, Ariel, "STABLE OXYGEN AND HYDROGEN ISOTOPIC RATIOS OF PRECIPITATION AND MODELLING OF PRECIPITATION SOURCES IN CENTRAL KENTUCKY, USA, 2017-2022" (2025). Theses and Dissertations--Civil Engineering. 152.
https://uknowledge.uky.edu/ce_etds/152
