
1
Introduction
1.1 Point patterns
1.1.1 Points
A ‘spatial point pattern’ is a dataset giving the observed spatial locations of things or events. Exam-
ples include the loca tions of tree s in a forest, g old deposits mapped in a geological survey, stars in
a star cluster, road ac cidents, earthquake epicentres, mobile phon e calls, animal sightings, or cases
of a rare disease. The spatial arr angement of points is the main f ocus of investigation.
Interest in methods for analysing such data is rapidly expanding acro ss many fields of science,
notably in ecology, epidemiology, geoscience, astronomy, econometrics, and crime research .
Figure 1.1. Point