Geostatistical analysis as applied to two environmental radiometric time series

This article details the results of an investigation into the application of geostatistical data analysis to two environmental radiometric time series. The data series employed consist of 99Tc values for seaweed (Fucus vesiculosus) and seawater samples taken as part of a marine monitoring program conducted on the coast of northern Norway by the Norwegian Radiation Protection Authority. Geostatistical methods were selected in order to provide information on values of the variables at unsampled times and to investigate the temporal correlation exhibited by the data sets. This information is of use in the optimisation of future sampling schemes and for providing information on the temporal behaviour of the variables in question that may not be obtained during a cursory analysis. The results indicate a high degree of temporal correlation within the data sets, the correlation for the seawater and seaweed data being modelled with an exponential and linear function, respectively. The semi-variogram for the seawater data indicates a temporal range of correlation of approximately 395 days with no apparent random component to the overall variance structure and was described best by an exponential function. The temporal structure of the seaweed data was best modelled by a linear function with a small nugget component. Evidence of drift was present in both semi-variograms. Interpolation of the data sets using the fitted models and a simple kriging procedure were compared, using a cross-validation procedure, with simple linear interpolation. Results of this exercise indicate that, for the seawater data, the kriging procedure outperformed the simple interpolation with respect to error distribution and correlation of estimates with actual values. Using the unbounded linear model with the seaweed data produced estimates that were only marginally better than those produced by the simple interpolation.