Local Meteoric Water Line of Northern Chile (18° S–30° S): An Application of Error-in-Variables Regression to the Oxygen and Hydrogen Stable Isotope Ratio of Precipitation

In this study, a revision of the previously published data on hydrogen (2H/1H) and oxygen (18O/16O) stable isotope ratio of precipitation in northern Chile is presented. Using the amount-weighted mean data and the combined standard deviation (related to both the weighted mean calculation and the spectrometric measurement), the equation of the local meteoric line calculated by error-in-variables regression is as follows: Northern Chile EIV-LMWL: δ2H = [(7.93 ± 0.15) δ18O] + [12.3 ± 2.1]. The slope is similar to that obtained by ordinary least square regression or other types of regression methods, whether weighted or not (e.g., reduced major axis or major axis) by the amount of precipitation. However, the error-in-variables regression is more accurate and suitable than ordinary least square regression (and other types of regression models) where statistical assumptions (i.e., no measurement errors in the x-axis) are violated. A generalized interval of δ2H = ±13.1‰ is also proposed to be used with the local meteoric line. This combines the confidence and prediction intervals around the regression line and appears to be a valid tool for distinguishing outliers or water samples with an isotope composition significantly different from local precipitation. The applicative examples for the Pampa del Tamarugal aquifer system, snow samples and the local geothermal waters are discussed.