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Spatial influence of regional centres of Slovakia: analysis based on the distance-decay function

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Abstract

The uneven distribution of centres in settlement systems and the non-homogeneity of social-economic space are the stimuli for the existence of spatial interactions. The interactions, that manifest the changes in their intensity with an increasing distance from a centre, can be described by distance-decay functions. This paper presents the construction, analysis and typology of distance-decay functions for regional centres of Slovakia using the daily travel-to-work flow data. Apart from an estimation of individual distance decay functions for each centre, a universal distance-decay function is also constructed through more sophisticated statistical analyses, where not only distance is the input parameter, but also the population of a centre. The resulting distance-decay functions have a wide range of uses in spatial interaction modelling (commuting, transportation, etc.). They also define the range of spatial influence of regional centres and therefore they can be used, for example, in proposals and revisions for the administrative division of a territory.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported by the Internal Grant Agency of the Palacký University Olomouc under project Grant Geographical structures and interactions: analysis and modelling of the organisation of space [Number IGA_PrF_2015_006].

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Geography, Faculty of Science, Palacký University Olomouc, 17. listopadu 12, Olomouc, 771 46, Czech Republic

    Marián Halás & Pavel Klapka

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  1. Marián Halás
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  2. Pavel Klapka
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Correspondence to Marián Halás.

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Halás, M., Klapka, P. Spatial influence of regional centres of Slovakia: analysis based on the distance-decay function. Rend. Fis. Acc. Lincei 26, 169–185 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12210-015-0387-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12210-015-0387-4

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