Wavelet analysis in karstic hydrology. 1st part: univariate analysis of rainfall rates and karstic spring runoffs

Continuous and orthogonal multiresolution wavelet analyses are applied to rainfall rates and karstic spring runoffs at sites located in the French Pyrenees mountains and the northern Larzac plateau. Compared to classical autocorrelation and spectral analyses, they appear as complementary, while allowing a finer analysis of the signals (sampled at different rates). Several applications are proposed: isolation of time-variable frequency processes (intermittent pumping), characterization of karstification degree and temporal structure of floods. ((C) 1999 Academie des sciences / Editions scientifiques et medicales Elsevier SAS.).