A statistical approach in investigating the hydrogeological significance of remotely sensed lineaments in the crystalline mountainous terrain of the island of Naxos, Greece

A map indicating zones related to groundwater on the mountainous terrain of the island of Naxos, Greece, was produced, using statistics, remote sensing and geographic information system (GIS) techniques. Naxos mainly consists of polydeformed and polymetamorphosed crystalline formations where groundwater is restricted to secondary porosity; its movement is erratic and occurs along lithological contacts, solution openings, faults and fractures. As in the most central Aegean islands, water in Naxos is a scarce commodity. Many dry holes have been drilled. It is known that in areas of such geology, linear features may play a significant role in their hydrogeological regime. Various lineaments’ directional properties were calculated and statistically tested against collected spring data using GIS techniques in an attempt to evaluate the hydrogeological significance of remotely sensed lineaments. Based on the results achieved, a map was prepared to contribute to conventional ground surveys in the selection of drilling sites. The reliability of the map was tested with existing borehole data. The results obtained encourage the use of statistical analysis on remotely sensed lineaments for groundwater targeting studies in crystalline mountainous areas.