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Spatial Interpolation Methods for Nonstationary Plume Data
Author(s) -
Reed Patrick M.,
Ellsworth Timothy R.,
Minsker Barbara S.
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
groundwater
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.84
H-Index - 94
eISSN - 1745-6584
pISSN - 0017-467X
DOI - 10.1111/j.1745-6584.2004.tb02667.x
Subject(s) - kriging , interpolation (computer graphics) , inverse distance weighting , multivariate interpolation , plume , variogram , nearest neighbor interpolation , sampling (signal processing) , environmental science , computer science , algorithm , bilinear interpolation , statistics , mathematics , meteorology , geography , filter (signal processing) , computer vision , animation , computer graphics (images)
Plume interpolation consists of estimating contaminant concentrations at unsampled locations using the available contaminant data surrounding those locations. The goal of ground water plume interpolation is to maximize the accuracy in estimating the spatial distribution of the contaminant plume given the data limitations associated with sparse monitoring networks with irregular geometries. Beyond data limitations, contaminant plume interpolation is a difficult task because contaminant concentration fields are highly heterogeneous, anisotropic, and nonstationary phenomena. This study provides a comprehensive performance analysis of six interpolation methods for scatter‐point concentration data, ranging in complexity from intrinsic kriging based on intrinsic random function theory to a traditional implementation of inverse‐distance weighting. High resolution simulation data of perchloroethylene (PCE) contamination in a highly heterogeneous alluvial aquifer were used to generate three test cases, which vary in the size and complexity of their contaminant plumes as well as the number of data available to support interpolation. Overall, the variability of PCE samples and preferential sampling controlled how well each of the interpolation schemes performed. Quantile kriging was the most robust of the interpolation methods, showing the least bias from both of these factors. This study provides guidance to practitioners balancing opposing theoretical perspectives, ease‐of‐implementation, and effectiveness when choosing a plume interpolation method.