Point pattern data is similar to point data under vector data, which we have already covered. A point pattern dataset gives the location of objects or events of concern in a defined study region. Let's learn some of the terminologies used in point pattern analysis first:
- Points: Points are locations in a coordinate system.
- Events: If we have data or an observation in a point, we call this an event. These events could represent any spatial objects, such as the location of a crime, a case of disease, a landslide location, or a cell inside the human body. These points are normally in a 2D plane, but they could also be in a 3D plane.
- Marks: Marks are another important concept; a mark is simply the attribute information associated with a point; for example, a mark could be a type of crime, a disease type, the intensity of a landslide, or...