Origin of water in the Badain Jaran Desert, China: new insight from isotopes

New isotopic evidence challenges long-standing hypotheses about the origin of water in China's Badain Jaran Desert, revealing that both groundwater and lake water are sourced from modern precipitation in the region rather than remote or ancient sources. The study analyzed radiocarbon (14C), tritium (3H), stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopes (δ2H – δ18O), and d-excess values in water samples from lakes, springs, and local aquifers, alongside evaporation experiments to assess isotopic changes under desert conditions. Contrary to previous theories, the data show that groundwater is derived from recent meteoric precipitation, not ancient carbonates or early Holocene recharge, debunking claims of distant Tibetan Plateau or paleoclimate origins.

Wu, X., Wang, X.-S., Wang, Y., & Hu, B. X. (2017). Origin of water in the Badain Jaran Desert, China: new insight from isotopes. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 21(9), 4419–4431. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-4419-2017