Isotopic evolution of snowmelt 1. A physically based one-dimensional model

[1] The O/O ratio of snowmelt from a seasonal snowpack typically increases with time as the melting process progresses. This temporal evolution is caused by isotopic exchange between liquid and ice as meltwater percolates down the snow column. Consequently, hydrograph separations of spring runoff using the bulk snow composition as the new water end-member will be erroneous. Accurate determinations of the new water input should take into account the temporal variation of the snowmelt. Here we present a one-dimensional (1-D) physically based model for the isotopic evolution of snowmelt. Two parameters, the effective rate of isotopic exchange between water and ice and the ice to liquid ratio of the exchange system, are important for controlling the range and temporal pattern of the isotopic variation in snowmelt. For all plausible values of these parameters the modeled isotopic signature of snowmelt changes by 1–4% as snowmelt progresses. These isotopic shifts will affect the results of hydrograph separations.