PORÓWNANIE WYBRANYCH STATYSTYCZNYCH METOD ANALIZY DANYCH HYDROGEOCHEMICZNYCH NA PRZYKŁADZIE KENOZOICZNYCH POZIOMÓW WODONOŚNYCH W OBSZARZE ZLEWNI GWDY

Abstract

COMPARISON OF SELECTED STATISTICAL METHODS OF HYDROGEOCHEMICAL DATA ANALYSIS EXEMPLIFIED BY CENOZOIC AQUIFERS WITHIN THE GWDA RIVER BASIN

Abstract. Comparison of selected methods of hydrogeochemical statistical analysis is presented in the paper. Statistical methods were applied to initially identify the formation processes of groundwater chemical composition within the Gwda river basin. As a result of a cluster analysis, three cluster sets of factors forming the chemical composition of the groundwater were distinguished. A set of two factors forming the chemical composition of the groundwater was distinguished as a result of a principal component analysis and a factor analysis. All the statistical methods used were found out to be susceptible upon hydrogeochemical anomalies. The observed susceptibility of the cluster analysis and the principal component analysis allowed a fully correct description of the formation of the groundwater chemical composition in the study area. The best results were achieved using the factor analysis, but this method is also susceptible upon the anomaly cases. The results of the statistical analysis were compared with the research results of additional factors such as the isotopic composition of water and concentrations of sulfates and tritium. The statistical methods appeared to be helpful. However, the interpretation of research results without the additional factors is intractable, especially in the case of hydrogeochemical anomalies.