GIS13

Geostatistics
•Geostatistics is the application of stochastic theory to geographic data.
• Geostatistics has been traditionally applied in the geosciences to:
– Assess spatial autocorrelation of a field.
– Interpolation of surface from discrete points.
• Examples of geostatistical analysis in the geosciences (with or without GIS).
    
• The fundamental concept in geostatistic refers to the spatial correlation of data:
– “Tobler’s First Law”: Everything is related to everything else, but near things are more related than distant things.
– This geographic statement is highly dependent on the spatial heterogeneity of the process of interest.
• Discontinuities disrupt spatial correlation.
• Periodicities can obscure spatial correlation.
• Randomness can imply no spatial correlation.
• Quantitative metrics of spatial correlation  have been developed in geostatistics.
• Spatial autocorrelation quantifies both the location of objects and their attributes.