Positional Accuracy of Spatial Data: Non-Normal Distributions and a Critique of the National Standard for Spatial Data Accuracy

Spatial data quality is a paramount concern in all GIS applications. Existing spatial data accuracy standards, including the National Standard for Spatial Data Accuracy (NSSDA) used in the United States, commonly assume the positional error of spatial data is normally distributed. This research has characterized the distribution of the positional error in four types of spatial data: GPS locations, street geocoding, TIGER roads, and LIDAR elevation data. The positional error in GPS locations can be approximated with a Rayleigh distribution, the positional error in street geocoding and TIGER roads can be approximated with a log‐normal distribution, and the positional error in LIDAR elevation data can be approximated with a normal distribution of the original vertical error values after removal of a small number of outliers. For all four data types considered, however, these solutions are only approximations, and some evidence of non‐stationary behavior resulting in lack of normality was observed in all four datasets. Monte‐Carlo simulation of the robustness of accuracy statistics revealed that the conventional 100% Root Mean Square Error (RMSE) statistic is not reliable for non‐normal distributions. Some degree of data trimming is recommended through the use of 90% and 95% RMSE statistics. Percentiles, however, are not very robust as single positional accuracy statistics. The non‐normal distribution of positional errors in spatial data has implications for spatial data accuracy standards and error propagation modeling. Specific recommendations are formulated for revisions of the NSSDA.     

An address regional tessellation method for spatial subdivision and geocoding in digital earth system

With the increased use of locational information, spatial location referencing and coding methods have become much more important to the mining of both geographical and nongeographical data in digital earth system. Unfortunately, current methods of geocoding, based on reverse lookup of coordinates for a given address, have proven too lossy with respect to administrative and socioeconomic data. This paper proposes a spatial subdivision and geocoding model based on spatial address regional tessellation (SART). Given a hierarchical address object definition, and based on the ‘region of influence’ characteristics of an address, SART creates multiresolution spatial subdivisions by irregular and continuous address regions. This model reflects most of the geographical features and many of the social and economic implications for a given address. It also better reflects the way people understand addresses and spatial locations. We also propose an appropriate method of geocoding for standard addresses (SART-GC). The codes generated by this method can record address footprints, hierarchical relationships, and spatial scales in a single data structure. Finally, by applying our methods to the Shibei District of Qingdao, we demonstrate the suitability of SART-GC for multi-scale spatial information representation in digital earth systems.     

A deep learning approach for rooftop geocoding

Geocoding has become a routine task for many research investigations to conduct spatial analysis. However, the output quality of geocoding systems is found to impact the conclusions of subsequent studies that employ this workflow. The published development of geocoding systems has been limited to the same set of interpolation methods and reference data sets for quite some time. We introduce a novel geocoding approach utilizing object detection on remotely sensed imagery based on a deep learning framework to generate rooftop geocoding output. This allows geocoding systems to use and output exact building locations without employing typical geocoding interpolation methods or being completely limited by the availability of reference data sets. The utility of the proposed approach is demonstrated over a sample of 22,481 addresses resulting in significant spatial error reduction and match rates comparable to typical geocoding methods. For different land‐use types, our approach performs better on low‐density residential and commercial addresses than on high‐density residential addresses. With appropriate model setup and training, the proposed approach can be extended to search different object locations and to generate new address and point‐of‐interest reference data sets.     

Quality Assessment of Online Street and Rooftop Geocoding Services

The widespread use of Internet-based mapping and geospatial analysis has caused an increase in the demand for online geocoding services. Although such services provide convenience, low (or free) cost and immediate solutions, their characteristics, sometimes, overshadow the expectation of producing quality of geocoded results. In recent years, several geocoding techniques have emerged, including rooftop geocoding, but they have yet to receive much attention in the literature. This paper examines and compares the quality of online rooftop and street geocoding services based on match rates and positional accuracy. Six geocoding services by five providers (i.e., Microsoft Virtual Earth, Google, Geocoder.us, MapQuest, and Yahoo!) were evaluated using addresses in Allegheny County, Pennsylvania. Results of the comparison indicate that rooftop geocoding produces slightly lower match rates but significantly higher positional accuracy than street geocoding. The hybrid service, which combines the two techniques, produces match rates as high as other street geocoding services but improves in positional accuracy close to the level of rooftop geocoding. Geocoding services employing reference databases with similar quality trend to produce compatible match rates and positional accuracy. This paper examines the sensitivity of different address types on geocoding quality. The results reveal that both rooftop and street geocoding produce high match rates and high accuracy for residential addresses. However, positional accuracies of agricultural and industrial address types are not very reliable due to the small sample sizes. With these, it is recommended to use online rooftop geocoding services if high positional accuracy is the priority, use street geocoding if high match rate is the priority, and use the hybrid approach if both high match rates and high positional accuracy are required.     

The effect of acquisition error and level of detail on the accuracy of spatial analyses

There has been a great deal of research about errors in geographic information and how they affect spatial analyses. A typical GIS process introduces various types of errors at different stages, and such errors usually propagate into errors in the result of a spatial analysis. However, most studies consider only a single error type thus preventing the understanding of the interaction and relative contributions of different types of errors. We focus on the level of detail (LOD) and positional error, and perform a multiple error propagation analysis combining both types of error. We experiment with three spatial analyses (computing gross volume, envelope area, and solar irradiation of buildings) performed with procedurally generated 3D city models to decouple and demonstrate the magnitude of the two types of error, and to show how they individually and jointly propagate to the output of the employed spatial analysis. The most notable result is that in the considered spatial analyses the positional error has a much higher impact than the LOD. As a consequence, we suggest that it is pointless to acquire geoinformation of a fine LOD if the acquisition method is not accurate, and instead we advise focusing on the accuracy of the data.     

A GIS‐Based Site Identification for the Seasonal Storage of Solar Heating: Promises and Pitfalls

This research presents the use of GIS to identify potential locations of the Seasonal Storage of Solar Heating (S³H) within the state of Pennsylvania. The S³H utilizes a large pit to store thermal energy collected during the warm months for later use in the cold months. To maximize its overall efficiency, S³H must be built where several locational parameters occur in unison: abandoned mine lands (AMLs), institutions, soil type, and land use. These parameters were mapped using GIS with potential locations identified through the application of neighborhood statistics. Potential locations were verified through the use of aerial photographs, hillshades, and site visitations. The verification process revealed spatial inaccuracies associated with the AML dataset. As a result, the horizontal positional accuracy of AMLs was tested according to the Geospatial Positioning Accuracy Standards – National Standard for Spatial Data Accuracy (NSSDA). Results indicate larger than expected positional offset for a dataset that is crucial to funding the reclamation of AMLs.     

Multi-unit building address geocoding: An approach without indoor location reference data

Accurately mapped locations within multi-unit properties are useful for several organizations in today's society. Published work on geocoding methods either require detailed location reference data or does not apply to multi-unit buildings. In this research, a generalizable method is realized to map apartment addresses to their explicit locations without access to indoor location reference data based on publicly available address- and geospatial-building information. The performance of this approach is measured by conducting a comparative study between a linear interpolation baseline and gradient-boosted decision trees model. The proposed method can successfully geocode addresses across different building shapes and sizes. Furthermore, the model significantly outperforms the baseline in terms of positional accuracy proving the feasibility of approximating apartment locations by their address- and geospatial-building information.     

A general framework for error analysis in measurement-based GIS Part 3: Error analysis in intersections and overlays

This is the third of a four-part series on the development of a general framework for error analysis in measurement-based geographic information systems (MBGIS). In this paper, we study the characteristics of error structures in intersections and polygon overlays. When locations of the endpoints of two line segments are in error, we analyze errors of the intersection point and obtain its error covariance matrix through the propagation of the error covariance matrices of the endpoints. An approximate law of error propagation for the intersection point is formulated within the MBGIS framework. From simulation experiments, it appears that both the relative positioning of two line segments and the error characteristics of the endpoints can affect the error characteristics of the intersection. Nevertheless, the approximate law of error propagation captures nicely the error characteristics under various situations. Based on the derived results, error analysis in polygon-on-polygon overlay operation is also performed. The relationship between the error covariance matrices of the original polygons and the overlaid polygons is approximately established.This project was supported by the earmarked grant CUHK 4362/00H of the Hong Kong Research grants Council.     

Geocoding Large Population‐level Administrative Datasets at Highly Resolved Spatial Scales

Using geographic information systems to link administrative databases with demographic, social, and environmental data allows researchers to use spatial approaches to explore relationships between exposures and health. Traditionally, spatial analysis in public health has focused on the county, ZIP code, or tract level because of limitations to geocoding at highly resolved scales. Using 2005 birth and death data from North Carolina, we examine our ability to geocode population‐level datasets at three spatial resolutions – zip code, street, and parcel. We achieve high geocoding rates at all three resolutions, with statewide street geocoding rates of 88.0% for births and 93.2% for deaths. We observe differences in geocoding rates across demographics and health outcomes, with lower geocoding rates in disadvantaged populations and the most dramatic differences occurring across the urban‐rural spectrum. Our results suggest that highly resolved spatial data architectures for population‐level datasets are viable through geocoding individual street addresses. We recommend routinely geocoding administrative datasets to the highest spatial resolution feasible, allowing public health researchers to choose the spatial resolution used in analysis based on an understanding of the spatial dimensions of the health outcomes and exposures being investigated. Such research, however, must acknowledge how disparate geocoding success across subpopulations may affect findings.     

Geocoding Recommender: An Algorithm to Recommend Optimal Online Geocoding Services for Applications

Today, many services that can geocode addresses are available to domain scientists and researchers, software developers, and end‐users. For a number of reasons, including quality of reference database and interpolation technique, a given address geocoded by different services does not often result in the same location. Considering that there are many widely available and accessible geocoding services and that each geocoding service may utilize a different reference database and interpolation technique, selecting a suitable geocoding service that meets the requirements of any application or user is a challenging task. This is especially true for online geocoding services which are often used as black boxes and do not provide knowledge about the reference databases and the interpolation techniques they employ. In this article, we present a geocoding recommender algorithm that can recommend optimal online geocoding services by realizing the characteristics (positional accuracy and match rate) of the services and preferences of the user and/or their application. The algorithm is simulated and analyzed using six popular online geocoding services for different address types (agricultural, commercial, industrial, residential) and preferences (match rate, positional accuracy).     

地籍管理信息系统中空间信息更新的改进方法研究

空间信息的更新是地籍管理信息系统中一项重要内容。通过外业采集的宗地界址点的坐标,计算并检核实测界址点和计算机量测点之间的点位误差,更新增加的界址点信息,该更新方案具有操作简便,更新工作量小等优点,但更新后的点位精度低、更新后宗地面积与外业实测面积差值较大。针对该问题,本文提出了地籍空间信息更新的改进方案,合理采集外业数据,适当增加多余观测值,确定更为精确的坐标转换参数,在不改变原有工作模式的前提下,提高更新的界址点的点位精度,缩小计算机量取面积和实测宗地面积的差值。对于区域地块、零星地类的信息更新,改进方案是一种实用的更新方法。     

空间数据处理模型误差和不确定性分析

在GIS应用中,涉及到大量的模型应用,这些模型包括了利用GIS进行空间信息处理的大部分阶段中所用到的模型。模型处理以及分析结果往往是进行下一步应用的基础,因此模型处理结果的误差和不确定性制约了实际的GIS应用。影响空间数据处理模型的误差和不确定性的因素主要包括:定位和特征信息,制图,空间分析,空间数据库以及空间数据处理模型等所具有的误差和不确定性。主要分析了空间数据处理模型误差和不确定性的表达、来源以及分析方法。     

Improving Spatial Accuracy of Roadway Networks and Geocoded Addresses

Exposure to traffic‐related pollutants is associated with both morbidity and mortality. Because vehicle‐exhaust are highly localized, within a few hundred meters of heavily traveled roadways, highly accurate spatial data are critical in studies concerned with exposure to vehicle emissions. We compared the positional accuracy of a widely used U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) roadway network containing traffic activity data versus a global positioning system (GPS)‐validated road network without traffic information; developed a geographical information system (GIS)‐based methodology for producing improved roadway data associated with traffic activities; evaluated errors from geocoding processes; and used the CALINE4 dispersion model to demonstrate potential exposure misclassifications due to inaccurate roadway data or incorrectly geocoded addresses. The GIS‐based algorithm we developed was effective in transferring vehicle activity information from the less accurate USGS roadway network to a GPS‐accurate road network, with a match rate exceeding 95%. Large discrepancies, up to hundreds of meters, were found between the two roadway networks, with the GPS‐validated network having higher spatial accuracy. In addition, identifying and correcting errors associated with geocoding resulted in improved address matching. We demonstrated that discrepancies in roadway geometry and geocoding errors, can lead to serious exposure misclassifications, up to an order of magnitude in assigned pollutant concentrations.     

空间数据处理模型误差和不确定性分析

在GIS应用中,涉及到大量的模型应用,这些模型包括了利用GIS进行空间信息处理的大部分阶段中所用到的模型.模型处理以及分析结果往往是进行下一步应用的基础,因此模型处理结果的误差和不确定性制约了实际的GIS应用.影响空间数据处理模型的误差和不确定性的因素主要包括:定位和特征信息,制图,空间分析,空间数据库以及空间数据处理模型等所具有的误差和不确定性.主要分析了空间数据处理模型误差和不确定性的表达、来源以及分析方法.     

Animation of Reliability in Computer-generated Dot Maps and Elevation Models

Visualization of reliability in spatial data has been the subject of considerable recent research activity. Animation has been suggested as one method to achieve this, and its application to various measures associated with class-area maps (classified satellite images and soil maps) has been discussed elsewhere. Animation is achieved by randomly selecting a location and then assigning it to a different map unit (cover or soil type) according to the information on the reliability associated with the original map or map units. In this article the same basic method is extended to mapping locational reliability in dot maps and surface error in a digital elevation model (DEM). In the former case, the dots, which are randomly located in the first place, are randomly relocated so that any meaningless positional information implicit in the location of the dots is lost while the meaningful information (the number of dots within a region) remains constant. In the DEM, animation uses a random field as an error surface, based upon the root mean squared error (RMSE). The amount of error at a location is constantly changed, giving no impression that the elevation is precisely known. The ability to vary the spatial autocorrelation within the error field provides a graphic illustration that the usual RMSE is not a sufficient method for the reporting of error in spatial databases. In both examples animation of reliability is believed to make a novel, but appropriate, use of the computer in cartography.     

The welfare benefit of a home’s location: an empirical comparison of spatial and non-spatial model estimates

This article compares results from non-spatial and new spatial methods to examine the reliability of welfare estimates (direct and multiplier effects) for locational housing attributes in Seattle, WA. In particular, we assess if OLS with spatial fixed effects is able to account for the spatial structure in a way that represents a viable alternative to spatial econometric methods. We find that while OLS with spatial fixed effects accounts for more of the spatial structure than simple OLS, it does not account for all of the spatial structure. It thus does not present a viable alternative to the spatial methods. Similar to existing comparisons between results from non-spatial and established spatial methods, we also find that OLS generates higher coefficient and direct effect estimates for both structural and locational housing characteristics than spatial methods do. OLS with spatial fixed effects is closer to the spatial estimates than OLS without fixed effects but remains higher. Finally, a comparison of the direct effects with locally weighted regression results highlights spatial threshold effects that are missed in the global models. Differences between spatial estimators are almost negligible in this study.     

A linear regression solution to the spatial autocorrelation problem

The Moran Coefficient spatial autocorrelation index can be decomposed into orthogonal map pattern components. This decomposition relates it directly to standard linear regression, in which corresponding eigenvectors can be used as predictors. This paper reports comparative results between these linear regressions and their auto-Gaussian counterparts for the following georeferenced data sets: Columbus (Ohio) crime, Ottawa-Hull median family income, Toronto population density, southwest Ohio unemployment, Syracuse pediatric lead poisoning, and Glasgow standard mortality rates, and a small remotely sensed image of the High Peak district. This methodology is extended to auto-logistic and auto-Poisson situations, with selected data analyses including percentage of urban population across Puerto Rico, and the frequency of SIDs cases across North Carolina. These data analytic results suggest that this approach to georeferenced data analysis offers considerable promise. Received: 18 February 1999/Accepted: 17 September 1999     

Geolokit: An interactive tool for visualising and exploring geoscientific data in Google Earth

Virtual globes have been developed to showcase different types of data combining a digital elevation model and basemaps of high resolution satellite imagery. Hence, they became a standard to share spatial data and information, although they suffer from a lack of toolboxes dedicated to the formatting of large geoscientific dataset. From this perspective, we developed Geolokit: a free and lightweight software that allows geoscientists – and every scientist working with spatial data – to import their data (e.g., sample collections, structural geology, cross-sections, field pictures, georeferenced maps), to handle and to transcribe them to Keyhole Markup Language (KML) files. KML files are then automatically opened in the Google Earth virtual globe and the spatial data accessed and shared. Geolokit comes with a large number of dedicated tools that can process and display: (i) multi-points data, (ii) scattered data interpolations, (iii) structural geology features in 2D and 3D, (iv) rose diagrams, stereonets and dip-plunge polar histograms, (v) cross-sections and oriented rasters, (vi) georeferenced field pictures, (vii) georeferenced maps and projected gridding.Therefore, together with Geolokit, Google Earth becomes not only a powerful georeferenced data viewer but also a stand-alone work platform. The toolbox (available online at http://www.geolokit.org) is written in Python, a high-level, cross-platform programming language and is accessible through a graphical user interface, designed to run in parallel with Google Earth, through a workflow that requires no additional third party software. Geolokit features are demonstrated in this paper using typical datasets gathered from two case studies illustrating its applicability at multiple scales of investigation: a petro-structural investigation of the Ile d’Yeu orthogneissic unit (Western France) and data collection of the Mariana oceanic subduction zone (Western Pacific).