Abstract
Water analyses typically result in numerous characteristic values. The
bunch of parameters hamper temporal or spatial comparisons of different
samples. In order to facilitate the evaluation and interpretation of
hydrochemical data, hydrogeologists use various special diagrams. One of
them is the Schoeller diagram, in which concentrations of different
species are plotted on logarithmic scales. Entries of an analysis are
connected and form a characteristic signature. In the Schoeller diagram,
parallel or subparallel signatures indicate relatedness of waters. Here
we present the idea of standardized Schoeller diagrams: different
logarithmic axes are shifted with respect to each other, in order for
the signature of a selectable sample to form a straight line. This
standardization greatly facilitates the comparison of water samples to
the chosen standard and increases the informative value of a Schoeller
diagram. As to our knowledge, there is no software that could generate
standardized Schoeller diagrams, we have developed a Matlab tool for
this purpose. The tool is available for free and allows fast generation
of standardized Schoeller diagrams with many possibilities to implement
user-specific wishes. We hope that this tool will contribute to a wider
use of Schoeller diagrams.