ISODRIP, a model to transfer the δ18O signal of precipitation to drip water - Implementation of the model for Eagle Cave (central Spain)

Abstract

The isotope signature of cave waters provides an excellent opportunity to better understand the recharge in karst regions and the complexity of drainage systems in the vadose zone. We have developed a cave isotope hydrological model (ISODRIP) that requires entering basic hydrometeorological information and a precipitation δ¹⁸O record to simulate the discharge and δ¹⁸O signals of different drip sites. The model includes four different modules to simulate various flow route regimes: continuous and discontinuous drips under diffuse or preferential flows. We use precipitation and cave water δ¹⁸O records that were obtained in Eagle Cave (central Spain) during a 5-year period to test our model and to better understand the dynamics of karst aquifers. Eagle Cave waters do not record evaporation. The δ¹⁸O signals do not have seasonality, although they record intra-annual and inter-annual variability. Additionally, cave water δ¹⁸O signal falls within the range of the annual average weighted isotope composition of precipitation. Well-mixed cave waters, that characterize diffuse flows, record 1‰ δ¹⁸O variability, whereas partially-mixed waters, that flow along preferential drainage routes, have up to 3‰ δ¹⁸O variability. The results suggest that precipitation takes on average 15 months to reach the cave through the diffuse flow network, whereas under preferential flow the transit time is highly variable depending on the previous condition of the system. ISODRIP includes a soil layer above the vadose zone that controls large recharge events, together with direct recharge components that bypass the soil layer enabling at least some recharge all year round. Thus, the simulations reproduce the observed lack of seasonal bias in the cave water δ¹⁸O composition in relation to the average weighted isotope composition of precipitation. This research highlights the importance of understanding recharge dynamics and the configuration of particular drips sites to properly interpret speleothem δ¹⁸O records.

Keywords: Cave drip water; Karst hydrology; Oxygen isotopes; Simulation; Transfer function.