On counting the number of data pairs for semivariogram estimation

In planning spatial sampling studies for the purpose of estimating the semivariogram, the number of data pairs separated by a given distance is sometimes used as a comparative index of the precision which can be expected from a given sampling design. Because spatial data are correlated, this index can be unreliable. An alternative index which partially corrects for this correlation, themaximum equivalent uncorrelated pairs, is proposed for comparing spatial designs. The index is developed under the assumption that the underlying stochastic process is Gaussian and is appropriate when the (population) semivariogram is to be estimated by the sample semivariogram.