Introduction to Surface Modeling Using ArcGIS 10

GIS analysts and specialists, epidemiologists, crime analysts, market analysts, economic forecasters, and other researchers and professionals working in industries such as public health, public safety, hydrology, meteorology, agriculture, environmental management, and mining.

Prerequisites

• Completion of ArcGIS Desktop II: Tools and Functionality or Learning ArcGIS Desktop or equivalent knowledge is required.
• Completion of Basics of Raster Data (for ArcGIS 10) or equivalent knowledge is also required.

• Describe characteristics of a good sample set, given a particular study area and phenomenon.
• Choose an appropriate interpolation method for your data.
• Set different interpolation parameters to manipulate surface characteristics.
• Interpolate a surface to visualize the distribution pattern of a given variable.
• Create a hydrologically correct surface.
• Create density surfaces to visualize the concentration of a phenomenon per unit of area.

Overview of surfaces

• Samples

Interpolating surfaces from point samples

• What is interpolation?
• Deterministic interpolation methods
• Inverse distance weighted (IDW) method
• Spline method
• Choosing a spline type
• Controlling sample points
• Interpolate a map of earthquake shaking intensity

Creating a hydrologically correct surface

• Vector components used by Topo To Raster
• Sinks
• Create a hydrologically correct surface

Determining the density of features

• Density vs. interpolation
• Simple density calculations
• Kernel density calculations
• Using attributes to calculate density
• Create a population density map

To complete course exercises, you need the following software:

• ArcGIS 10.0 for Desktop (ArcView, ArcEditor, or ArcInfo)
• ArcGIS 10 Spatial Analyst