The statistical evaluation of isotope measurements in precipitation shows
that Deuterium values of precipitation and natural waters of meteoric
origin are linearly correlated with those of O-18, forming the so-called
global waterline, or global meteoric waterline.
For water subjected to evaporation, the linear correlation between the
Deuterium and O-18 values still holds, but a slope of evaporation line
is less senses slope of the mean of the meteoric water line. And the meteoric
water line is therefore a kind of reference line against which any measuring
point can be compared. The result of the comparison provide a fingerprint
of this sample and indicate whether the sample represents surface water,
like here, ground water recharged by rain mainly along the meteoric line,
ground water containing irrigation, when it can lay on this, when it is
situated along this line, or a mixture between fresh ground water and
lake water. Proportions of the mixing components can be calculated.
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