Short-term variation of oxygen isotopic composition of falling snow particles

Oxygen isotopic composition, crystal types and the degree of riming of falling snow particles were simultaneously observed in order to determine the possible causes of short-term variation of the δ¹⁸O value together with the formation process of snow in clouds. The results obtained are summarized as follows: (1) Whenever the type and/or degree or riming of snow crystals changed, the δ¹⁸O value of falling snow changed. (2) Short-term variation of the δ¹⁸O value in each case indicated that riming has two opposite effects on the δ¹⁸O value of snow crystals, i.e., the δ¹⁸O value increased (or decreased) by riming. (3) There was good correlation between the maximum precipitation intensity and the range of variation in the δl8O value of snow particles from snow bands. (4) The short-term variations of the δ¹⁸O values are not correlated to the surface air temperature and the precipitation intensity.