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Article
flowAMOEBA: Identifying Regions of Anomalous Spatial Interactions
Geographical Analysis
  • Ran Tao, University of Southern California
  • Jean-Claude Thill, University of North Carolina
Document Type
Article
Publication Date
1-1-2019
Digital Object Identifier (DOI)
https://doi.org/10.1111/gean.12161
Disciplines
Abstract

This study aims at developing a data‐driven and bottom‐up spatial statistic method for identifying regions of anomalous spatial interactions (clusters of extremely high‐ or low‐value spatial flows), based on which it creates a spatial flow weights matrix. The method, dubbed flowAMOEBA, upgrades a multidirectional optimum ecotope‐based algorithm (AMOEBA) from areal data to spatial flow data through a proper spatial flow neighborhood definition. The method has the potential to dramatically change the way we study spatial interactions. First, it breaks the convention that spatial interaction data are always collected and modeled between spatial entities of the same granularity, as it delineates the OD region of anomalous spatial interactions, regardless of the size, shape, scale, or administrative level. Second, the method creates an empirical spatial flow weights matrix that can handle network autocorrelation embedded in spatial interaction modeling, thus improving related policy‐making or problem‐solving strategies. flowAMOEBA is tested and demonstrated on a synthetic data set as well as a county‐to‐county migration data set.

Citation / Publisher Attribution

Grographical Analysis, v. 51, issue 1, p. 111-130

Citation Information
Ran Tao and Jean-Claude Thill. "flowAMOEBA: Identifying Regions of Anomalous Spatial Interactions" Geographical Analysis Vol. 51 Iss. 1 (2019) p. 111 - 130
Available at: http://works.bepress.com/ran-tao/8/