Raster Based Operations

Lecture 5
5. Raster Based Spatial Analysis
 The raster data model uses a regular grid to cover
the space and the value in each grid cell represents
the characteristic of a spatial phenomenon at the
cell location.

 In contrast to vector data analysis, which is based

on the geometric objects of point, line, and
polygon, raster data analysis is based on cells or
raster.

 Some raster data operations use a single raster;

others use two or more raster.
Raster Based Spatial Analysis…
 An important consideration in raster data
analysis/is the type of cell value.

 Raster overlay analysis combine two or more

raster data using logical, arithmetic, or
weighted combination methods.

 The Weighted Overlay and Weighted Sum

tools allows you to combine multiple rasters
of varying importance.
5.1.The types of operations in Spatial Analyst
 The operations of cell-based analysis available in the
ArcGIS Spatial Analyst extension can be divided into five
types:
 Those that work on single cell locations (local operations)
 Those that work on cell locations within a neighborhood
(focal operations)
 Those that work on cell locations within zones (zonal
operations)
 Those that work on all cells within the raster (global
operations)
 Those that perform a specific application (for example,
hydrologic analysis operations)
 Raster based overlay analysis
Raster layers have their
own analytical
techniques.
Some concepts are the
same as with vector
analysis (e.g., buffer,
overlay)
 Map Algebra
• Raster layers are manipulated by math-like expression to
create new raster layers
• Mathematical combinations of layers
5 6 Precipitation
7 6 -
- Losses
(Evaporation,
3 3
2 4 Infiltration)
=
= Runoff
2 3
5 2
 Map Algebra Operations
 Operations are grouped as local, focal,
zonal, and global according to the spatial
scope of the operations.

Function of a Function of Function of Function of All

cell neighboring Cells Zonal Cells Cells
Map Algebra
5.1.1. Local Function
 Local Function:
─Local functions process a grid on a cell-by-cell basis, that is,
each cell is processed based solely on its own values,
without reference to the values of other cells.

─The Local functions allow you to perform bitwise,

conditional, logical, mathematical, and statistical operations
on a pixel-by-pixel basis.

─Depending on the operation type, it may require 1, 2, 3 or n

input rasters.
Local Function…
 You may need to stack a few Local functions together in order
to achieve some of the conditional and logical functions.
 Sometimes called layer functions

 Work on every single cell in a raster layer

 Cells are processed without reference to surrounding cells

 Can use a plethora of mathematical computations.

 Operations can be arithmetic, trigonometric, exponential,

logical or logarithmic functions

 Common uses: reclassification and overlays.

Local Function…
 Local operations, or per-cell functions, compute a raster
output dataset where the output value at each location (cell) is
a function of the value associated with that location on one or
more raster datasets.

 That is, the value of the single cell, regardless of the values of
neighboring cells, has a direct influence on the value of the
output.

 A per-cell operation can be applied to a single raster dataset or

to multiple raster datasets.

 For a single dataset, examples of per-cell operations include

the trigonometric tools, for example, Tan, or the logarithmic
tools—for example, Log2.
Local Function…
 There are four parameters for this function:
◦ Input
 There are several inputs that can be used within the Local
functions.
 The Local functions only work on a single band. If you have a
multiple-band raster, use the Extract Band function to specify
which band to use in the Local function.
◦ Operations
 The functions will perform the specified operation on the input
rasters.
 The Operation information box informs you which Operation
was chosen and how many inputs are needed.
Cont…
◦ Cell Size
 Choose which cell size to use in the output raster.
 If all the input cell sizes are the same, then all the
options will yield the same results.
◦ Extent
 Choose which extent should be used in the output
raster.
Local Operations: Single Raster
Local Operations: Multiple Raster
 Examples of operations that can be done using multiple
rasters:
◦ Mathematical functions
◦ Summary statistics
◦ Combine operation (Combines rasters by assigning a
unique output value to each unique combination of
input values).
 Applications: change detection studies; predicting
habitats favorable for wildlife species.
 Multiple Raster
Operation: add raster 1 and raster 2 cell values to
produce an output raster with the summed cell values
 5.1.2. Focal Function
 Neighborhood (focal function)
◦ Calculates for each input cell location a statistic of the values
within a specified neighborhood around it.

◦ performs a neighborhood operation that computes an output

raster where the value for each output cell is a function of the
values of all the input cells that are in a specified
neighborhood around that location.

◦ The function performed on the input is a statistic, such as the

maximum, average, or sum of all values encountered in that
neighborhood.

◦ The available statistics are majority, maximum, mean,

median, minimum, minority, range, standard deviation, and
sum. The default statistics type is mean.
Focal Function…
 Focal functions process cell data depending on the values of
neighboring cells.

 We define a ‘kernel’ to use as the neighborhood for example,

2x2, 3x3, 4x4 cells

 Sometimes in spatial analysis we use shapes to define the

focal neighborhood.
 Around edges a reduced kernel size is used
 Types of focal functions might be:
─Focal sum, focal mean, focal max, focal min, focal range
 Focal Function Examples
 Focal Sum (sums the value of a neighborhood)
2 0 1 1 7 8 9 6
2 3 0 4 13 16 16 11
=
4 2 2 3 13 18 20 14
1 1 3 2 8 13 13 10

 Focal Mean (computes the moving average of a

neighborhood)
2 0 1 1 1.8 1.31.5 1.5
2 3 0 4 2.2 2.01.8 1.8
=
4 2 2 3 2.2 2.02.2 2.3
1 1 3 2 2.0 2.22.2 2.5
Focal Sum…
Focal function
 Focal function
 Neighborhood Operations Common Applications
◦ Data simplification
◦ Terrain analysis
◦ Image processing
◦ Site selection
 Example Slope
 steepness of slope in elevation layer computed by comparing cell
elevation with neighboring values measured as the angle from horizontal.
5.1.3. Zonal Function
 Zonal function-
◦ Calculates statistics on values of a raster within the zones
of another dataset.
◦ Zonal functions process the data of a grid in such a way
that cell of the same zone are analyzed as a group.
◦ Process and analyze cells on the basis of ‘zones’
◦ Zones define cells that share a common
characteristic
◦ Cells in the same zone don’t have to be
contiguous
Zonal function
 A typical zonal function requires two grids
◦ a zone grid which defines the size, shape and location of
each zone
◦ a value grid which is to be processed
 Typical zonal functions include zonal mean, zonal
max, zonal sum, zonal variety
 also: sum of the values in different raster that fall
into the same zone (e.g., mean district elevation)
 Results could be assigned to each cell in that zone,
or written to a summary table
Zonal Function
Zonal Function
 Zonal function
 Can be used with a single raster or with two
Rasters
 Single raster zonal operations
◦ Measures the geometry of each zone (area,
perimeter, centroid, thickness, etc.)
 Two raster zonal operations
◦ Involves an input raster and a zonal raster to
produce a new raster that summarizes cell values
in the input raster by zone
Example Two raster zonal
operations
Zonal Function
 Usage
◦ The Zonal tools allow you to perform analysis where
the output is a result of computations performed on
all cells that belong to each input zone.
◦ A zone is defined as all areas in the input that have the
same value.
◦ The areas do not have to be contiguous.
◦ Both raster and feature can be used for the zone
input.
◦ Zones can be defined by raster or feature datasets.
◦ Rasters must be of integer type, and features must
have an integer or string attribute field.
 5.1.4.Global Function
 Global or incremental function:
─ Global, or per-raster, operations compute an output raster
dataset in which the output value at each cell location is
potentially a function of all the cells combined from the
various input raster datasets.
─ For global functions, the output value of each cell is a
function of the entire grid.
─There are two main groups of global operations:
▪ Euclidean distance and
▪ weighted distance.
• As an example, the Euclidean distance function computes the
distance from each cell to the nearest source cell, where source cells
are defined in an input grid.
• Flow accumulation in watershed .
 Global Functions
 The output value of each cell
is a function of the entire grid.

 Typical global functions are

distance measures, flow
directions, or weighting measures.

 Useful when we want to work

out how cells ‘relate’ to each
other
Global Function
Application: Determining Parcel mean slope
in an area
Example of application :Determine animal
migration way