Definition
Environmental variables are inherently uncertain. For example, instruments cannot measure with perfect accuracy, samples are not exhaustive, variables change in partially unpredictable ways, and abstractions and simplifications of the real world are necessary when building computer models. While these imperfections are frequently ignored in GIS analyses, the importance of developing “uncertainty-aware” GIS has received considerable interest since the beginning of GIS. Assessing and communicating uncertainty is important for establishing the value of data as an input to decision making, for judging the credibility of decisions that are informed by data, and for directing resources toward improving data quality. In this context, uncertainties in data propagate through GIS analyses and...
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References
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Recommended Reading
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Heuvelink, G.B.M., Brown, J.D. (2016). Uncertain Environmental Variables in GIS. In: Shekhar, S., Xiong, H., Zhou, X. (eds) Encyclopedia of GIS. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-23519-6_1422-2
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-23519-6_1422-2
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