Project for the Strengthening of Spatial Data Infrastructures in

Member States and Territories of the Association of Caribbean States

Capacity Building Program

Geographic Information Systems

Dr Earl Edwards
Ms. Valrie Grant, MSc.
 Real World Data Sources

Data Input
The GIS Process
Geospatial Information processing begins and
ends with the real world

Users
Data Management

Analysis
Source: Aronoff (1991)
 Topic 6:
Spatial Query and Analysis in GIS
 Topic Outline
• What is Spatial Query?
• Querying Geodatabases
• ArcGIS Spatial Tools
• What is Spatial Analysis?
• Components of Spatial Analysis
• Spatial Interpolation
• Spatial Analysis Process
Information
Data when processed will remove the level of uncertainty in
a particular event.

Data Information Understanding

A better understanding of our world can be achieved

through the use of Spatial Queries and Spatial Analysis.
 What is a Spatial Query?
• A spatial query is a special type of database
query supported by geodatabases and spatial
databases.

• It allows for the use of geometry data types such

as points, lines and polygons and that these
queries consider the spatial relationship
between these geometries.
 Querying Databases
• Structured Query Language (SQL)

SELECT * FROM met_stations WHERE

sensor_type = “Temperature” AND
retrieval_method = “Automatic”;
Querying Geodatabases
Querying the Geodatabase
 ArcGIS Tools
ArcGIS Advanced license level

• Found in ArcToolbox
– ArcMap, ArcCatalog,
ArcScene, and ArcGlobe
• Powerful set of tools to
perform analysis
geoprocessing tasks
• Designed to perform
vector analysis
• License determines tools
 Select
• Extracts features from a feature class or layer and stores
them in a new feature class
• Output feature class optionally created using a SQL
expression

Select zoning
polygons designated
as community
shopping district
Buffer
 What is Spatial Analysis?
• Analysis is one of six GIS functions
• Process for highlighting patterns and
relationships in spatial (geographic) data Capture
using spatial query
• Most people are still using GIS to only make Store
maps
• GIS can do much more - Analysis Query
Customers
Analyze
Buildings

Streets Display

Reality Output
 Components of Spatial Analysis

• Visualization
– Showing interesting patterns
• Exploratory Spatial Data Analysis (ESDA)
– Finding interesting patterns
• Spatial Modelling, Regression
– Explaining interesting patterns
 Why do analysis?
• Gives insight into places of interest
• Helps focus actions to choose the best option

Schools

0.1 mile buffer Determining the

relationship between
crime locations
and schools

Crimes
Analysis answers simple questions

X,Y

Map where Find what

things are located is inside

Map change Map density

Analysis

Map the most Find what

and least is nearby
 Typical Operations
• Point pattern analysis (Hotspots)
• Points in polygons
• Polygon overlay
• Spatial interpolation
• Density estimation
 Point Pattern Analysis
• Determine if patterns
exist among point
features
• Examine the spatial
patterns and draw
suitable conclusions
• Example: Crime hot
spot analysis in
Trinidad or Tobago
 Point Pattern Analysis
For example, the work of
John Snow 1865 plotting
deaths from cholera on a
map along with the 11
community wells.

The map revealed an

association between
cholera and the broad
street pump
 Point Pattern Analysis
PPA relies heavily on Tobler's Waldo R Tobler
First Law of Geography
“Everything is related to
everything else, but
nearby things are more
related than distant things”

Foundation of the fundamental

concept of spatial dependence
which is at the core of spatial
analysis
 Overlay Analysis

+ + + + + + +

Line on Polygon

Point on
Polygon
Polygon on
Polygon
 Raster cell coincidence
• Analysis between rasters compares values for cells
– Rasters must be registered to a common coordinate system
1 0 0 1
3 2 2 3
4 4
5 Cost1

10
Cost2

TotCost
15

TotCost (3,2) = Cost1 (3,2) + Cost2 (3,2)

15 = 5 + 10
 Spatial Interpolation
• Traditionally, data collected in the field comprise of point
measurements at discrete locations. Today it is usual to
have automated system, like weather station, that collect
vast amounts of data
• These datasets are still samples and would not
represent a continuous surface over the area of interest
• Spatial interpolation methods are used to estimate
values at unsampled locations using measurements at
sampled locations
• Effectively fills in the unknown information using the
known information
 Spatial Interpolation

• Methods include
– Inverse Distance
Weighted
– Spline
– Kriging
 Spatial Analysis Process
• Mitchell (2005) Draper et al (2005)
 Spatial Analysis Process
Based on ESRI

Define the Identify Choose a Process Look at the

problem your data method the data results
 Spatial Analysis Process
• Problem formulation
• Planning
• Data gathering
• Exploratory analysis
• Hypothesis formulation
• Modelling and testing
• Consultation and review
• Reporting and/or implementation
 Problem – Site Suitability
• Phrase the problem as a question
– Where would be a suitable location for a new school?
• Desk study / literature review
– How have others dealt with this in the past?
– What are the possible models?
• Criteria for selection
– Close to recreation areas
– Not close to existing schools
– Gently sloping ground
– Close to residential areas
Possible Result - Optimal Site
 A Simple Model

Onions Celery Carrots Garlic

Wild
Rice

Chopped Chicken
Chop Vegetables Boil Soup

Whole Chicken Salt

Boil Chicken and
Chicken Broth Meat Pepper

Boiled Chicken
Separate
Chicken Bones
 A Cartographic Model
SELECT Perennial BUFFER Stream
Streams Stream Buffer

500

OVERLAY

Roads
BUFFER Road
Buffer
200 Composite 2

OVERLAY
Zones
Composite 1

Soils

OVERLAY
Composite 3

31
Cartographic Modelling with Model Builder
 Modelling Susceptibility to Landslides
• Precipitation
• Elevation
• Slope
•
Source: USGS
Aspect
• Curvature
• Earthquake zones
• Landcover
• Soil/Geology
• Human activities
• etc
Source: Jamaica Gleaner
Historical Landslides

Source: Dr Rafi Ahmad, UWI Mona

Landslide Susceptibility Model
Landslide Susceptibility Zones

Source: Mona Geoinfomatics Institute

 Other Analysis Examples
 Determination of visibility
 line-of-sight
 view sheds
 Site Suitability Analysis
 Finding the best site for a school
 Network Analysis
 optimal routes
 allocation of resources
Site Suitability
A suitability model typically answers the question, Where is the best location?—whether it involves
finding the best location for a new road or pipeline, a new housing development, or a retail store.
For instance, a commercial developer building a new retail store may take into consideration distance
to major highways and any competitors' stores, then combine the results with land-use, population
density, and consumer spending data to decide on the best location for the store.
ArcGIS Spatial Analyst derives new information from the overlay of multiple layers, which can then
be used to determine the best location.
 Route Closest Facility Service Area

Network Analysis

Vehicle Routing Origin-Destination

Location-Allocation
Problem Cost Matrix
Density Analysis
Hydrologic Analysis
British statistician
George E. Box

“Essentially all
models are wrong,
but some are useful”
 UP NEXT …..

Activity: Conducting Spatial Query and

Analysis in ArcGIS
 Acknowledgement

Except where stated, images used in this

presentation were acquired from multiple sources
on the world wide web.