From: Evaluation of spatial analysis application for urban emergency management
GIS application | Description of application | Tools | Application examples |
---|---|---|---|
Queries and measurements | |||
Queries | Does not change the database or produce new data but reveals information | Scatter plots, residuals, and structured/standard query language | To determine water sources near potential IDP settlements |
Measurements | Numerical interrogations of GIS, which make an analysis of spatial data | Makeup distance, area, length, shape, aspect of spatial data | To estimate the total area needed to set up IDP settlements To determine the length between food distribution points |
Transformations | |||
Transformations | Creates new data from existing data | Buffer analysis | Used to comply with Sphere humanitarian standards. For example, can be used to ensure that toilets are within 50 meters of shelters |
Spatial interpolation | A transformation analysis method used for intelligently guessing the value of the discreet object | Thiessen polygons, inverse-distance weighting, and Kriging | To predict infection rates in IDP settlements To estimate flow rates of well to large aquifer |
Optimization | |||
Point optimization | Determines optimal locations amongst nodes of a network | Network analysis | To select location for critical infrastructure such as food storage areas |
Route optimization | Determines optimal routes amongst nodes of a network | Network analysis | To access accessibility of road networks to potential IDP settlements |
Path optimization | Solves are routing problems by minimizing friction value and does not require a network | Network analyst | To determine paths for utility infrastructure for IDP settlements |
Analysis | |||
Geostatistical analysis | Used to measure geographic distributions, identify pattern and clusters, and analyze geographic relationships | Geostatistical analysis | To determine historical rainfall averages over a particular area, which could be applied to potential IDP locations |
Centroid analysis | Used to identify trends over various phenomena in a set period | Spatial analyst | To determine trends in infectious diseases and household income levels within IDP settlements |
Pattern analysis | Used to identify distribution points. Can determine whether the point is random, clustered or dispersed | Spatial analyst | To identify links between water wells and infectious diseases |
Relationship analysis | Used to determine the relationship between various geographic phenomena | ArcGIS 3D analyst, ArcGIS spatial analyst and ArcGIS network analyst | To assist in increasing the efficiency of daily operation of IDP settlements |
Geovisualization | Simple three dimensions (3D) and high-resolution mapping are used globally to access a variety of information | Google earth, ESRI’s arcexplorer, and microsoft virtual earth | Allows a layperson to understand the unfolding of humanitarian emergency |