Introduction

Abstract

The term spatial statistics is used to describe a wide range of statistical models and methods intended for the analysis of spatially referenced data. Cressie (1993) provides a general overview. Within spatial statistics, the term geostatistics refers to models and methods for data with the following characteristics. Firstly, values Y_i: i = 1, ..., n are observed at a discrete set of sampling locations x_i within some spatial region A. Secondly, each observed value Y_i is either a direct measurement of, or is statistically related to, the value of an underlying continuous spatial phenomenon, S(x), at the corresponding sampling location x_i. This rather abstract formulation can be translated to a variety of more tangible scientific settings, as the following examples demonstrate.