Abstract:
Numerical models are indispensable tools to understand the influence of various fractionation processes in the atmospheric water cycle on the isotopic composition of precipitation and water vapor. In this presentation, I will provide an overview of the various types of models that are currently applied, ranging from idealized trajectory-based approaches to complex global and regional circulation models. Advantages and disadvantages of each modeling approach will be discussed, and examples of applications will be provided that illustrate the usefulness of such models to obtain a better understanding of isotopic processes, but also the (potential) usefulness of isotope observations to constrain the representation of moist processes in atmospheric models.
