Análise de agrupamentos na identificação de regiões homogêneas de índices climáticos no Estado da Paraíba-PB.

Abstract

The main objective of this work was apply the technique of clusters analysis in the identification of homogeneous regions based on 54 rain gauge stations for climatic indexes: of aridity, of humidity and water, obtained through climatic water balance proposed by Thornthwaite (1948) in the State of Paraíba. In implementing the water balance were used precipitation data available in the Academic Unit of Atmospheric Sciences of Federal University of Campina Grande and an estimation of air temperature for a specified series from 1970 to 2000. About climatic indexes, was applied the clusters analysis using the Euclidean distance as dissimilarity measure. The dendrogram identified visually the process of grouping in each index studied according to the method chosen. In the application of methods, Ward was the best fit to the indexes of aridity and of humidity, identifying respectively, five and four homogeneous regions of these indexes. For the water index, was chosen the method of Complete Linkage, resulting in five homogeneous regions. All the homogeneous regions obtained in this work were analyzed using tools of descriptive statistics, detailing the study of these indexes. It also studied the spatial behavior of some variables in that state in function of variation of available water capacity in soil in 75, 100, 125 and 150 mm, which results showed small changes considered significant.