Isotope hydrology: an overview (Arabic Edition)

Isotopic techniques enable scientists to understand the components of the water cycle, helping them better assess the quantity, quality and sustainability of water. In the water cycle, groundwater is the least understood component. Scientists use naturally occurring isotopes as tracers to find out whether groundwater is being replenished, where it comes from, how it moves underground and if it is vulnerable to pollution and changing climatic conditions. Water from different places has different isotopic signatures or unique 'fingerprints'. Scientists use these 'fingerprints' to track the movement of water along its path through the entire water cycle: from evaporation, precipitation, infiltration, to runoff and evapotranspiration, then returning to the ocean or the atmosphere, and repeat.