scholarly journals Searching for an Optimal Hexagonal Shaped Enumeration Unit Size for Effective Spatial Pattern Recognition in Choropleth Maps

2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 576
Author(s):  
Izabela Karsznia ◽  
Izabela Gołębiowska ◽  
Jolanta Korycka-Skorupa ◽  
Tomasz Nowacki

Thoughtful consideration of the enumeration unit size in choropleth map design is important to ensure the correct communication of spatial information. However, the enumeration unit size and its influence on pattern conveying in choropleth maps have not yet been the subject of in-depth empirical studies. This research aims to address this gap. We focused on the issue concerning whether the ability to recognize spatial patterns on an Equal Area Unit Map is related to the hexagonal enumeration unit size, defined by the number of pixels. The aim is to indicate the range of the enumeration unit sizes, namely, at what point the upper and lower borders of the range where the spatial patterns start, and where the end is visible and recognizable by users. To address this problem, we conducted an empirical study with 488 users. The results show that the enumeration unit size has an impact on the users’ spatial pattern recognition abilities. Choropleth maps with enumeration unit sizes of 26, 52, and 104 pixels were, in the majority, indicated by participants as those most suitable for indicating spatial patterns. This was in contrast to choropleth maps with enumeration unit sizes of 1664 and 3328 pixels, which users indicated as not being useful. However, there were some exceptions to this general finding. Thus, determining the optimal enumeration unit size is a challenging task, and requires further insightful investigations.

2019 ◽  
Vol 1 ◽  
pp. 1-1
Author(s):  
Lars Kuchinke ◽  
Julian Keil ◽  
Dennis Edler ◽  
Anne-Kathrin Bestgen ◽  
Frank Dickmann

<p><strong>Abstract.</strong> Reading spatial information from topographic maps to form mental representations that guide spatial orientation and navigation is a rather complex cognitive process. Perceptual and knowledge-driven processes interact to support the map reader in building these mental representations. The resulting cognitive maps are not one-to-one mappings of the spatial information and known to be distorted systematically. It is assumed that spatial information is hierarchically organized in these mental models. We are interested in how map design based on cognitive principles supports memory formation and leads to less distorted mental representations.</p><p>Based on the results of empirical studies we are able to show that overlaid grids in these maps address the hierarchical nature of these mental representations of map space. When map users are asked to learn object locations in a map the availability of overlaid grid layers improve object location memory. This effect is independent of the shape of these grid patterns (square grids or hexagonal grids) and, moreover, can be shown to be effective even in situations where the grids are interrupted by other maps layers (i.e. so-called illusory grids).</p><p>These results seem best explained by the formation of less distorted mental representations based on the availability of superordinate hierarchical information and the application of Gestalt principles by the map user. Thus again, point to the interaction between perceptual and knowledge-driven processes in the formation of these mental representations of map space. This assumption receives further support by eye-tracking data that reveal that grids do not only attract attention towards their own location but also seem to structure the gaze patterns in relation to the relevant object locations that are not necessarily located close to a grid line.</p>


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (2) ◽  
pp. 748
Author(s):  
Iana Rufino ◽  
Slobodan Djordjević ◽  
Higor Costa de Brito ◽  
Priscila Barros Ramalho Alves

The northeastern Brazilian region has been vulnerable to hydrometeorological extremes, especially droughts, for centuries. A combination of natural climate variability (most of the area is semi-arid) and water governance problems increases extreme events’ impacts, especially in urban areas. Spatial analysis and visualisation of possible land-use change (LUC) zones and trends (urban growth vectors) can be useful for planning actions or decision-making policies for sustainable development. The Global Human Settlement Layer (GHSL) produces global spatial information, evidence-based analytics, and knowledge describing Earth’s human presence. In this work, the GHSL built-up grids for selected Brazilian cities were used to generate urban models using GIS (geographic information system) technologies and cellular automata for spatial pattern simulations of urban growth. In this work, six Brazilian cities were selected to generate urban models using GIS technologies and cellular automata for spatial pattern simulations of urban sprawl. The main goal was to provide predictive scenarios for water management (including simulations) and urban planning in a region highly susceptible to extreme hazards, such as floods and droughts. The northeastern Brazilian cities’ analysis raises more significant challenges because of the lack of land-use change field data. Findings and conclusions show the potential of dynamic modelling to predict scenarios and support water sensitive urban planning, increasing cities’ coping capacity for extreme hazards.


2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (5) ◽  
pp. 853
Author(s):  
Mohsen Soltani ◽  
Julian Koch ◽  
Simon Stisen

This study aims to improve the standard water balance evapotranspiration (WB ET) estimate, which is typically used as benchmark data for catchment-scale ET estimation, by accounting for net intercatchment groundwater flow in the ET calculation. Using the modified WB ET approach, we examine errors and shortcomings associated with the long-term annual mean (2002–2014) spatial patterns of three remote-sensing (RS) MODIS-based ET products from MODIS16, PML_V2, and TSEB algorithms at 1 km spatial resolution over Denmark, as a test case for small-scale, energy-limited regions. Our results indicate that the novel approach of adding groundwater net in water balance ET calculation results in a more trustworthy ET spatial pattern. This is especially relevant for smaller catchments where groundwater net can be a significant component of the catchment water balance. Nevertheless, large discrepancies are observed both amongst RS ET datasets and compared to modified water balance ET spatial pattern at the national scale; however, catchment-scale analysis highlights that difference in RS ET and WB ET decreases with increasing catchment size and that 90%, 87%, and 93% of all catchments have ∆ET < ±150 mm/year for MODIS16, PML_V2, and TSEB, respectively. In addition, Copula approach captures a nonlinear structure of the joint relationship with multiple densities amongst the RS/WB ET products, showing a complex dependence structure (correlation); however, among the three RS ET datasets, MODIS16 ET shows a closer spatial pattern to the modified WB ET, as identified by a principal component analysis also. This study will help improve the water balance approach by the addition of groundwater net in the ET estimation and contribute to better understand the true correlations amongst RS/WB ET products especially over energy-limited environments.


2006 ◽  
Vol 12 (4) ◽  
pp. 461-485 ◽  
Author(s):  
Keisuke Suzuki ◽  
Takashi Ikegami

We study a system of self-replicating loops in which interaction rules between individuals allow competition that leads to the formation of a hypercycle-like network. The main feature of the model is the multiple layers of interaction between loops, which lead to both global spatial patterns and local replication. The network of loops manifests itself as a spiral structure from which new kinds of self-replicating loops emerge at the boundaries between different species. In these regions, larger and more complex self-replicating loops live for longer periods of time, managing to self-replicate in spite of their slower replication. Of particular interest is how micro-scale interactions between replicators lead to macro-scale spatial pattern formation, and how these macro-scale patterns in turn perturb the micro-scale replication dynamics.


2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 7
Author(s):  
Erjie Hu ◽  
Di Hu ◽  
Handong He

Innovation is a key factor for a country’s overall national strength and core competitiveness. The spatial pattern of innovation reflects the regional differences of innovation development, which can provide guidance for the regional allocation of innovation resources. Most studies on the spatial pattern of innovation are at urban and above spatial scale, but studies at urban internal scale are insufficient. The precision and index of the spatial pattern of innovation in the city needs to be improved. This study proposes to divide spatial units based on geographic coordinates of patents, designs the innovation capability and innovation structure index of a spatial unit and their calculation methods, and then reveals the spatial patterns of innovation and their evolutionary characteristics in Shenzhen during 2000–2018. The results show that: (1) The pattern of innovation capacity of secondary industry exhibited a pronounced spatial spillover effect with a positive spatial correlation. The innovation capacity and innovation structure index of the secondary industry evolved in a similar manner; i.e., they gradually extended from the southwest area to the north over time, forming a tree-like distribution pattern with the central part of the southwest area as the “root” and the northwest and northeast areas as the “canopy”. (2) The pattern of innovation capacity of tertiary industry also had a significant spatial spillover effect with a positive spatial correlation. There were differences between the evolutions of innovation capacity and innovation structure index of tertiary industry. Specifically, its innovation capacity presented a triangular spatial distribution pattern with three groups in the central and eastern parts of the southwest area and the south-eastern part of the northwest area as the vertices, while its innovative structure showed a radial spatial distribution pattern with the southwestern part of the southwest area as the source and a gradually sparse distribution toward the northeast. (3) There were differences between the evolution modes of secondary and tertiary industries. Areas with high innovation capacity in the secondary industry tended to be more balanced, while areas with high innovation capacity in the tertiary industry did not necessarily have a balanced innovation structure. Through the method designed in this paper, the spatial pattern of urban innovation can be more precise and comprehensive revealed, and provide useful references for the development of urban innovation.


2018 ◽  
Vol 125 (6) ◽  
pp. 1720-1730 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eric T. Geier ◽  
Kent Kubo ◽  
Rebecca J. Theilmann ◽  
Gordon K. Prisk ◽  
Rui C. Sá

The location of lung regions with compromised ventilation (often called ventilation defects) during a bronchoconstriction event may be influenced by posture. We aimed to determine the effect of prone versus supine posture on the spatial pattern of methacholine-induced bronchoconstriction in six healthy adults (ages 21–41, 3 women) using specific ventilation imaging. Three postural conditions were chosen to assign the effect of posture to the drug administration and/or imaging phase of the experiment: supine methacholine administration followed by supine imaging, prone methacholine administration followed by supine imaging, and prone methacholine administration followed by prone imaging. The two conditions in which imaging was performed supine had similar spatial patterns of bronchoconstriction despite a change in posture during methacholine administration; the odds ratio for recurrent constriction was mean (SD) = 7.4 (3.9). Conversely, dissimilar spatial patterns of bronchoconstriction emerged when posture during imaging was changed; the odds ratio for recurrent constriction between the prone methacholine/supine imaging condition and the prone methacholine/prone imaging condition was 1.2 (0.9). Logistic regression showed that height above the dependent lung border was a significant negative predictor of constriction in the two supine imaging conditions ( P < 0.001 for each) but not in the prone imaging condition ( P = 0.20). These results show that the spatial pattern of methacholine bronchoconstriction is recurrent in the supine posture, regardless of whether methacholine is given prone or supine but that prone posture during imaging eliminates that recurrent pattern and reduces its dependence on gravitational height. NEW & NOTEWORTHY The spatial pattern of methacholine bronchoconstriction in the supine posture is recurrent and skewed toward the dependent lung, regardless of whether inhaled methacholine is administered while supine or while prone. However, both the recurrent pattern and the gravitational skew are eliminated if imaging is performed prone. These results suggest that gravitational influence on regional lung inflation and airway topography at the time of measurement play a role in determining regional bronchoconstriction in the healthy lung.


2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 234-244
Author(s):  
Mohd Sahrul Syukri BIN Yahya ◽  
Edie Ezwan Mohd Safian ◽  
Burhaida Burhan

Currently, the trends in urban public transport have been changing over the years in developing countries for mobilization and accessibility development. Urban public transportation systems are the most popular in Selangor State, including big cities such as the Klang Valley Region. Objective measures of spatial pattern and hotspots have been used to understand how urban public transport development relate to open access. This method relies on specific spatial information and available web-based tool that shows the pattern primarily based on given vicinity and statistics connectivity. To date, several studies have finished tested in developed countries. In this study, we use Geographic Information Systems to analyse and consider hotspots identification precisely and efficaciously. Therefore, in this paper, we focus on two types of point sample evaluations – Gi* hot spot and point density analysis evaluation as statistical operations. Public rail transport was evaluated as a validation to describe the percentage of distribution of open access. The final result, GIS mapping capabilities to show that GIS's technology offers to the variation of urban public transport relate to public services, is to create maps and spatial interpretations.


Author(s):  
Mehmet Cüneyd Demirel ◽  
Julian Koch ◽  
Gorka Mendiguren ◽  
Simon Stisen

Hydrologic models are conventionally constrained and evaluated using point measurements of streamflow, which represents an aggregated catchment measure. As a consequence of this single objective focus, model parametrization and model parameter sensitivity are typically not reflecting other aspects of catchment behavior. Specifically for distributed models, the spatial pattern aspect is often overlooked. Our paper examines the utility of multiple performance measures in a spatial sensitivity analysis framework to determine the key parameters governing the spatial variability of predicted actual evapotranspiration (AET). Latin hypercube one-at-a-time (LHS-OAT) sampling strategy with multiple initial parameter sets was applied using the mesoscale hydrologic model (mHM) and a total of 17 model parameters were identified as sensitive. The results indicate different parameter sensitivities for different performance measures focusing on temporal hydrograph dynamics and spatial variability of actual evapotranspiration. While spatial patterns were found to be sensitive to vegetation parameters, streamflow dynamics were sensitive to pedo-transfer function (PTF) parameters. Above all, our results show that behavioral model definition based only on streamflow metrics in the generalized likelihood uncertainty estimation (GLUE) type methods require reformulation by incorporating spatial patterns into the definition of threshold values to reveal robust hydrologic behavior in the analysis.


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