A new method for predicting the spatial and temporal distribution of
precipitation δ 18 O based on deep learning and spatial and temporal
clustering
Abstract
Predicting precipitation δ 18O accurately is crucial
for understanding water cycles, paleoclimates, and hydrological
applications. Yet, forecasting its spatio-temporal distribution remains
challenging due to complex climate interactions and extreme events. We
developed a method combining spatio-temporal clustering and deep
learning neural networks to improve multi-site, multi-year precipitation
δ 18O predictions. Using a comprehensive dataset from
33 German sites (1978-2021), our model considers precipitation δ
18O and its controlling factors, including
precipitation and temperature distribution. We applied the K-means++
method for classification and divided data into training and prediction
sets. The CNN[1](#fn-0002) model extracted spatial features, while
the Bi-LSTM model focused on temporal features. Spatio-temporal
clustering using K-means++ improved forecast accuracy and reduced
errors. This study highlights the potential of deep learning and
clustering techniques for forecasting complex spatio-temporal data and
offers insights for future research on isotope distributions.