Changes of the isotopic composition of water within the water cycle provide a recognizable signature, relating such waters to the different phases of the cycle. The isotope fractionations which accompany evaporation from the ocean and other surface waters and the reverse process of rain formation, account for the most notable changes. As a result, meteoric waters are depleted in in the heavy isotopic species of H and O relative to the ocean waters, whereas waters in evaporative systems such as lakes, plants and soil-water are relatively enriched. During the passage through the aquifers, the isotope composition of water is essentially a conservative property at ambient temperatures, but at elevated temperatures the interaction with the rock material may perturb the isotope composition. The isotopic signature in the atmospheric, surface, soil and groundwaters, as well as in the biosheric waters, are applied to characterize the hydrological systems as well as indicators of paleo-climatic conditions for proxy materials in climatic archives such as ice, lake sediments or organic matter.
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