A landscape approach in the isotopic modeling of natural precipitations: two cases in Mediterranean mountain areas

Abstract

The present paper proposes a method to simplify the very complex isotopic fractionation processes occurring during the water cycle. The method is constrained by a relatively small number of variables, with the precision needed in hydrological applications. After a theoretical introduction on the adopted interpolation criteria, two cases in the Mediterranean are presented. In both cases the evaluation of the “geometric complexity” of the systems appears to be the best tool to produce reliable isotopic models. If the complexity is low, it is apparently easier to fit different models; on the contrary the higher the complexity is, more difficult it is to find a reliable model but, at the same time, more difficult it is to find effective alternative models.