Characteristics and indications of hydrogen and oxygen isotopes distribution in lake ice body

Stable isotopes have been used to identify the characteristics of precipitation, evaporation, basin hydrology, and residence times. However, lakes in the cold regions are usually covered by ice for 5–6 months. To get a better understanding of stable isotopes characteristics and indications in lake ice bodies, ice and water were sampled during the icebound season in both the ice and water bodies in Dali Lake, and deuterium, oxygen-18 total nitrogen (TN), and the major ions were analyzed. The results showed that deuterium and oxygen-18 compositions (δD-δ18O) compositions in the ice body were greater than in the water body beneath, scattered on a straight line, and deviating downward from the global meteoric water line in the top right. The ice profile showed that the δD-δ18O compositions increased from the ice surface downward and decreased near to the bottom. In contrast, the TN and the major ions in the ice decreased from the ice surface downward and increased near to the bottom, meaning that the concentrations of δ18O had a negative correlation with the concentrations of TN and major ions. These indicated that stable isotopes can be used for tracing the nutriment and ion transport processes in the ice body.