Lab 8: Spatial Analysis and Modelling
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Mohd Syafiq AkmalLab 8: Spatial Analysis and Modelling
Uploaded by
Mohd Syafiq AkmalLab 8: Spatial analysis and modelling
Spatial analysis is a type of geographical analysis which seeks to explain patterns of
human behavior and its spatial expression in terms of mathematics and geometry, that is, locational
analysis. Examples include nearest neighbor analysis and Thiessen polygons. Many of the
models are grounded in micro-economics and predict the spatial patterns which should occur, in,
for example, the growth of networks and urban systems, given a number of preconditions such as
the isotropic plain, movement minimization, and profit maximization. It is based on the tenet
that economic man is responsible for the development of the landscape, and is therefore subject
to the usual criticisms of that concept, such as the lack of free will.
(https://researchguides.dartmouth.edu/gis/spatialanalysis, 2017)
Spatial modeling is an analytical process conducted in conjunction with a geographical
information system (GIS) in order to describe basic processes and properties for a given set of
spatial features. The objective of spatial modeling is to be able to study and simulate spatial objects
or phenomena that occur in the real world and facilitate problem solving and planning.
(https://www.techopedia.com/definition/1940/spatial-modeling, 2017)
Steps in Spatial Analysis and Modelling
1. Decide what the question that you want to answer. Simple question such as a particular
features location can be asked. An answer to a question can lead to other related questions.
Additional analysis and query results can provide the basis for further analysis.
2. Add the data. ArcCatalog can help to locate and evaluate the data for the analysis. It can
be connected to the internet such as Geography Network to search for data online or in
your computer. Once potencial datasets are located, ArcCatalog can display geography,
table and metadata views of the data as well as indicate what type of data is present such
as shapefiles and rasters. Data in text file that contain geographic component such as
latitude and longitude can be saved as DBF format files, added as tables and displayed as
a layer using Display XY data functionality.
3. Put it in a map. ArcMap symbolizes spatial data in layers and organizes those layers in
data frames. ArcMap contain tools and menu choices that simplify the process of
interactively querying data. Using the Identify tool, feature attributed can be called up by
clicking on the map features. One data evaluated and assembled, next we displayed it in a
map.
4. Query the map. Control key to select all the desired record or using an expression to select
features based on attributes for more efficient method. Example such as Choosing
Selection, then Select by Attributes, and creating the expression”???” > 4 in the query box.
Exporting the selected features to a new shapefile lets us deal only with dose features.
5. Modify the map to ask new questions. Labelling each of the data by magnitude and
adding labels to the data so it is easier for us to handle the data. Alternatively, events could
be symbolized by time or depth to perhaps uncover other aspects of the data. Using this
iterative process, reasoning ability and the tools in ArcGIS, we can understand the data
