The Intra‐Seasonal Oscillation of Precipitation δ18O Over the Asian Equatorial and Monsoon Regions.

Water isotopes‐climate correlations are used to reconstruct paleoclimate from various natural archives. Intra‐seasonal oscillation is one of the major atmospheric patterns that modulate the ratio of precipitation isotope in low latitudes, yet their spatial and temporal distribution patterns are unclear. Here we presented a detailed analysis of how the intra‐seasonal oscillations (MJO, Madden‐Julian Oscillation, and BSISO, Boreal Summer Intra‐seasonal Oscillation) modulate precipitation δ18O and vapor δ18O over the Asian monsoon region and the equatorial region. This analysis found consistent intra‐seasonal variations between the ISO and rain δ18O. We interpret it as the ISO regulating the active and inactive convective systems on the regional scale, leading to the intra‐seasonal oscillations in precipitation δ18O, with amplitudes from 4‰ up to 15‰. The MJO (BSISO) leads to eastward (northeastward) propagation of δ18O intra‐seasonal oscillations in the Asian equatorial (monsoon) region, coinciding with the spatial patterns of OLR oscillations, reflecting the response of precipitation/vapor δ18O to the oscillation of large‐scale convective activity or accumulated depletion of regional precipitation. We proved that the amplitudes of intra‐seasonal variation of precipitation δ18O are comparable to seasonal variations, and both of them are the main patterns for precipitation δ18O in study regions. Our results are conducive to the accurate interpretation of δ18O in climate proxies such as precipitation, ice cores, tree cellulose, cave stalagmites, et al. on the intra‐seasonal scale in this region. Plain Language Summary: Periodicity is a phenomenon in which similar characteristics or states of things reappear steadily and continuously. The Tropical Intra‐seasonal Oscillation (Andersen et al., 2004, https://doi.org/10.1038/nature02805) is the reappearance of a large‐scale envelope of more abundant convective rain systems moving eastward in the tropical regions with a typical oscillatory period of 30–60 days. The ratios of H218O and HDO vary during the cycle of continuous circulation of water in the atmosphere, and therefore are widely used as proxies for climate records. We used the measured data of precipitation or vapor isotopes to reveal that the propagation of ISO can be recorded by the ratio of H218O covering Asian tropical and monsoon regions. Furthermore, the increased (decreased) ISO intensity leads to the increased (decreased) amplitude of convection intensity, which results in the increased (decreased) amplitude of the H218O ratio in precipitation or vapor. Key Points: The intra‐seasonal oscillations are one of the main patterns of precipitation δ18O covering the Asian monsoon and equatorial regionsThe stronger δ18O intra‐seasonal oscillation corresponds to the season with active convective activities, more rainfall, and low‐level δ18OThe stronger regional convective intensity leads to the cumulative effect in the depletion of rain δ18O during the convective phases of ISO [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]