Aktualny stan i kierunki badań hydrogeologicznych

Abstract

Current state and hydrogeological research directions.A b s t r a c t. This article explores the current state of research in hydrogeology and the future challenges of fundamental and applied hydrogeology. A bibliometric analysis was conducted in the first part of the paper in order to evaluate groundwater research. It was based on papers published in Hydrogeology Journal and Journal of Hydrology in the period 2010–2014. This two journals were chosen arbitrary as most representatives for groundwater research for many reasons. The first journal published the largest number of articles and the second one has the highest percentage of publications related to groundwater research. Another reason was the field of research presented in this two journals: regional hydrogeology and methods. The bibliometric analysis summarizes output and research hotspots in groundwater studies. A keywords analysis showed that regional hydrogeology, methods and research techniques, isotopes and tracers and hydrogeochemistry were the main research areas in the study period. Then the citation data were used form these two journals and from the period 2001–2015 to assess the main areas of research. This analysis showed that methods of studies, recharge, ground water/surfaced water interaction and hydrogeochemistry were the main research areas in the studied period. The second part of this paper presents the main challenges for hydrogeology and it is based on many papers published in the period of last ten years. One of the greatest challenges in hydrogeology is fundamental science on regional scale .The demand is in determining universal theory on dominant processes on the regional scale, mainly with respect to groundwater recharge, groundwater/surface water interaction and transport processes. Finally the regional scale research imply interdisciplinary research