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Spatial Scan Statistics: Models, Calculations, and Applications

  • Chapter
Scan Statistics and Applications

Part of the book series: Statistics for Industry and Technology ((SIT))

Abstract

A common problem in spatial statistics is whether a set of points are randomly distributed or if they show signs of clusters or clustering. When the locations of clusters are of interest, it is natural to use a spatial scan statistic.

Different spatial scan statistics have been proposed. These are discussed and presented in a general framework that incorporates two-dimensional scan statistics on the plane or on a sphere, as well as three-dimensional scan statistics in space or in space—time. Computational issues are then looked at, presenting efficient algorithms that can be used for different scan statistics in connection with Monte Carlo-based hypothesis testing. It is shown that the computational requirements are reasonable even for very large data sets. Which scan statistic to use will depend on the application at hand, which is discussed in terms of past as well as possible future practical applications in areas such as epidemiology, medical imaging, astronomy, archaeology, urban and regional planning, and reconnaissance.

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Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD, USA

    Martin Kulldorff

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  1. Martin Kulldorff
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Editor information

Editors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Statistics, University of Connecticut at Storrs, Storrs, CT, 06269-3120, USA

    Joseph Glaz

  2. Department of Mathematics and Statistics, McMaster University, Hamilton, Ontario, L8S 4K1, Canada

    N. Balakrishnan

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© 1999 Springer Science+Business Media New York

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Kulldorff, M. (1999). Spatial Scan Statistics: Models, Calculations, and Applications. In: Glaz, J., Balakrishnan, N. (eds) Scan Statistics and Applications. Statistics for Industry and Technology. Birkhäuser, Boston, MA. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-1578-3_14

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-1578-3_14

  • Publisher Name: Birkhäuser, Boston, MA

  • Print ISBN: 978-1-4612-7201-4

  • Online ISBN: 978-1-4612-1578-3

  • eBook Packages: Springer Book Archive

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