Proximity Calculation with Rasters
GIS is meant to help human beings in understanding both natural and human-generated phenomena. A fundamental concept in both arenas is the idea of closeness. Raster analysis can play a key role. We will focus on the following:
- The importance of distance in geographic analysis and synthesis
- How to use ArcGIS Spatial Analyst to find the distance from anywhere to places of interest
- The relationship between distance and cost
- How to calculate the cost effects of other factors besides distance
- How to find the shortest or least expensive path from anywhere to places of interest
- How to determine which is the closest place of interest and/or the place of interest that can be reached with the least cost