CHAPTER 15

SPATIAL INTERPOLATION

1.0

INTRODUCTION

GIS users work with all sorts of surfaces such as land terrain. However, there is
another type of terrain that which is not physically exists but can be visually
represented the same way as the land terrain surface which is called statistical
surface. Examples of statistical surfaces are precipitation, snow accumulation, water
table, and population density. Hence, the chapter 15 will elaborate on the spatial
interpolation which refers to the process of using points with known values to
estimate values at other points. Through spatial interpolation, for example, we can
estimate the precipitation value at a location with no recorded data by using known
precipitation readings at nearby weather stations. Spatial interpolation, then, means
creating a surface data from sample points so that the surface data can be displayed
as a 3-D surface or an isoline map which is used for analysis and modeling.
Chapter 15 covers tools for spatial interpolation which are trend surface modelling,
computing kernel density estimation, inverse distance weighted (IDW) interpolation,
ordinary kriging for interpolation and universal kriging for interpolation.

2.0

OBJECTIVE

The objectives of this chapter are;

i.
ii.
iii.
iv.
v.

3.0

To learn the tools of spatial interpolation

To learn trend surface analysis
To conduct kernel density estimation
To perform IDW for local interpolation
To learn kriging interpolation; ordinary and universal

SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 15
1

Q1. The RMS statistics for the power of 5 is 4.534593.

Q2. Value range of SIGHTINS is 1 15.

Figure 1 Screenshot of value range of SIGHTINGS

Q3. The value range of deer sighting densities is 0 22.34918404.

Figure 2 Screenshot of value range of deer sighting densities.

Q4. The RMS statistic when using the default parameters including the optimal power
value is 3.929051.

Q5. The RMS statistic when changing the power to 2, maximum number of neighbors
to 10, and minimum number to 6 is 3.983464.

Q6. The RMS value from step 5 is 3.507753.

Figure 3 The RMS value from step 5

Q7. The optimal model has a lower RMS statistic of 3.518103 than Q6.
Q8. The standardized RMS value is 1.537698

Figure 4 The standardized RMS value

Challenge Task Q1. The range of cell values in the difference raster is -0.5 3.69.
Challenge Task Q2. Positive cell value in difference raster means a high value of
tension.
Challenge Task Q3. Yes, there is pattern in terms of high cell values distributed,
either positive of negative.
4.0

CONCLUSION

Chapter 15 guided us in utilizing the tools for spatial interpolation. Task 1 guided in
covering the trend surface analysis by exploring the average annual precipitation
data in stations.shp and then running a trend surface analysis. Secondly, task 2
guided in dealing with kernel density estimation where it is used to compute the
average number of deer sightings per hectare from deer.shp. The deer location data
have a 50 m minimum discernible distance; hence few locations have multiple
sightings of them. Next, task 3 uses the IDW for local interpolation in creating a
precipitation raster. After that, task 4 uses ordinary kriging for interpolation where I
examined the semi-variogram cloud from 175 points, and then running the ordinary
kriging to generate interpolated precipitation raster and a standard error raster. Task
5 guided in using the universal kriging for interpolation where the trend to be
removed from the kriging process is the first-order trend surface. Lastly, is the
challenge task which tests our understanding in spatial interpolation. From this task,
we compared the interpolation results from two spline methods in Geostatistical
Analyst where we created an interpolated raster using completely regularized spline,
created an interpolated raster using spline with tension and using a local operation to
compare the two rasters. The result that we obtained was a difference between the
two interpolation methods.

CHAPTER 17
LEAST COST PATH ANALYSIS AND NETWORK ANALYSIS

1.0

INTRODUCTION

Chapter 17 covers tools for least-cost path analysis and network analysis, in which
they deal with movement and linear features. Least-cost path analysis is raster based
and contains narrower focus. Using cost raster that defines the cost of moving
through each cell, it finds the least accumulated cost path between cells. Least cost
path analysis is useful as a planning tool to locate new road or pipeline with the
optimum cost in terms of construction costs and environmental impacts. Network
analysis needs a network that is vector-based and topologically connected whereby
the most common network analysis is the shortest path analysis which is usually
utilized in in-vehicle navigation systems to help drivers find the shortest route or with
the least duration between an origin and destination.
This chapter will guide in computing the last accumulative cost distance, computing
the path distance, running shortest path analysis, building a geodatabase network
dataset, finding closest facility and finding service area.

2.0

OBJECTIVE

The objectives of this chapter are;

i.
ii.

3.0

To learn the tools of least-cost analysis

To learn the tools of network analysis

SUMMARY OF CHAPTER 17

Q1. The values in costdistance is the same as those in Figure 17.4d

Q2. The range of cell values in pathdist1 is 0 1181.51

Figure 5 The range of cell values in pathdist1

Q3. If the pathdist1 value is 900, it means that the value is measure on the ground
from the summit.

Q4. The third record in the path1 attribute table represents the least-cost path.

Q5. The total distance travelled in miles is 2214.

Figure 6 The total distance and duration from Helena to Charlotte

Q6. Approximately 34 hours and 3 minutes to drive from Helena to Charlotte using
the interstates.

Q7. There are 19 one way street segments in moscowst.shp.

Q8. 3 minutes is required to reach the incident.

Q9. 4028237.690138

Q10. 1909174.831113

Challenge Task Q1. The total travel distance is 1458 miles.

Figure 7 The total distance travelled and time taken from Grand Forks to Houston

Challenge Task Q2. It will take 22 hr 26 min to drive from Grand Forks to Houston
using interstates.

4.0

CONCLUSION

Chapter 17 guided us in utilizing the tools for least-cost path analysis and network
analysis in GIS. Its Task 1 guides us in computing the least accumulative cost
distance. Then in Task 2, it guides us in computing the path distance by calculating
the elevation raster. The path distance measures the ground or actual distance that
must be covered between cells. Task 3 guides us in running a shortest path analysis
between two cities in uscities.shp on the interstate network. The shortest route is
defined by the link impedance of travel time. Task 4 guides us in building a
geodatabase network dataset which is used to run a closest facility analysis in the
coming Task 5. After that in Task 5, we find the closest facility based on the network
dataset from Task 4. In Task 6, the chapter guides in finding service area.