Urban analysis in a GIS environment: population density modelling using ARC/INFO

The authors describe how population density models may be embedded within ARC/INFO. Their focus is not upon the population density models themselves, but rather upon the development of a prototypical system that is effective in demonstrating how such modelling may be carried out in a GIS environment. Batty and Xie use ARC/INFO to develop both a user interface that facilitates the interaction between the system and the user, and an interface that facilitates the transitions between data description, data display, model estimation and projection. When spatial analysis and GIS are strongly coupled together (i.e. with integrated software for performing model and GIS functions, and little or no passing of input files to the software during program execution), there is the possibility of having some systems that are more oriented towards modelling and some that are more oriented towards GIS capabilities. Batty and Xie cite Ding and Fotheringham's (1992) Spatial Analysis Module as an example of a system more oriented towards analysis and interpretation, while their own model of the Buffalo region is more oriented toward GIS, since visualization and display play such a central role. -from Editors