Interpretation of Serbian surface sediment maturation parameters based on factor analysis

The factor analysis, used in this work for the interpretation of maturation pa- rameters observed in an exploration study of a group of surface sediments of diverse age originating from different localities in Serbia, resulted in two significant factors. Factor 1 involved parameters related mainly to maturation changes within the alipha- tic chains of the organic matter and factor 2 involved parameters based mainly on changes in the terpane and sterane rings. A statistically significant inversely propor- tional linear dependence between factors 1 and 2 was observed with older, in contrast to younger sediments, suggesting that the reactions of the aliphatic chains in the older sediments did not occur simultaneously with the reactions in the rings and, also, that the older surface sediments examined in this study may be characterized by a degree of thermal maturity corresponding to changes in the biomarker sterane and terpane rings, while the younger sediments by intensive changes in the aliphatic chains.