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Arc_Mat: a Matlab-based spatial data analysis toolbox

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Abstract

This article presents an overview of Arc_Mat, a Matlab-based spatial data analysis software package whose source code has been placed in the public domain. An earlier version of the Arc_Mat toolbox was developed to extract map polygon and database information from ESRI shapefiles and provide high quality mapping in the Matlab software environment. We discuss revisions to the toolbox that: utilize enhanced computing and graphing capabilities of more recent versions of Matlab, restructure the toolbox with object-oriented programming features, and provide more comprehensive functions for spatial data analysis. The Arc_Mat toolbox functionality includes basic choropleth mapping; exploratory spatial data analysis that provides exploratory views of spatial data through various graphs, for example, histogram, Moran scatterplot, three-dimensional scatterplot, density distribution plot, and parallel coordinate plots; and more formal spatial data modeling that draws on the extensive Spatial Econometrics Toolbox functions. A brief review of the design aspects of the revised Arc_Mat is described, and we provide some illustrative examples that highlight representative uses of the toolbox. Finally, we discuss programming with and customizing the Arc_Mat toolbox functionalities.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to acknowledge support for this research provided by the National Science Foundation, SES-0729264. Additional funding was from the Gulf of Mexico, Texas SEA Grant programs NA06OAR41770076, but the conclusions and recommendations are those of the authors and do not reflect the views of the US Department of Commerce - National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). The first author would also like to thank financial support from Graduate Student Affinity Group of the American Association of Geographers.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography, Texas State University, San Marcos, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA

    Xingjian Liu

  2. Fields Endowed Chair in Urban and Regional Economics, Department of Finance and Economics, Texas State University, San Marcos, 601 University Drive, San Marcos, TX, 78666, USA

    James LeSage

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  1. Xingjian Liu
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  2. James LeSage
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Correspondence to Xingjian Liu.

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Liu, X., LeSage, J. Arc_Mat: a Matlab-based spatial data analysis toolbox. J Geogr Syst 12, 69–87 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10109-009-0096-6

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10109-009-0096-6

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