Advanced Geographic Information Systems Research Articles

Legal Frameworks for the Assessment of Agricultural Lands

This study examines the legal frameworks governing the assessment of agricultural lands, focusing on the challenges and implications of existing regulations and suggesting improvements for more effective land management. Assessing agricultural land is crucial for determining its value, taxation, and eligibility for government subsidies, which directly impacts agricultural productivity and sustainability.The research methodology involves a comparative analysis of legislation in different jurisdictions, highlighting best practices and identifying gaps in current legal frameworks. Through this analysis, the study addresses how legal provisions align with the practical needs of agricultural development and land conservation, as well as discussing the impact of these laws on farmers, landowners, and the broader economic landscape.Key findings reveal that many existing laws are outdated and do not adequately accommodate modern agricultural practices or the challenges posed by climate change. The study also identifies a lack of consistency in the application of these laws, leading to disparities in land assessment and management across regions.Recommendations include integrating advanced geographic information systems (GIS) for more precise land valuation, adopting environmentally sustainable practices in legal criteria, and enhancing legal clarity to reduce administrative burdens on landowners.This research is intended for policymakers, legal experts, and stakeholders in the agricultural sector. It provides a comprehensive overview of the legal issues surrounding agricultural land assessment and proposes actionable solutions to enhance the effectiveness of these legal frameworks. By reforming agricultural land assessment laws, countries can better support their agricultural sectors, promoting economic stability and sustainable development.

Smart city planning focused on the US cities in need of policing innovations and public health safety technologies and strategies

The issue of firearm-related injuries, deaths and crime in the United States is of particular relevance. Every year, about 32,000 lives are lost as a result of firearm-related incidents, including self-inflicted injuries. Other 74,000 people suffer non-fatal gunshot wounds. Addressing this multi-faceted problem is possible through a comprehensive and integrated approach that encompasses public health initiatives, law enforcement efforts, and security measures. In the context of solving this problem, the concepts of “community-oriented policing”, “problem-oriented policing”, “broken windows theory”, “smart city social sustainability initiative” (multi-system improvement and meeting the needs of marginalised residents), “feedback methodology”, etc. are thoroughly considered. The author proposes the strategic deployment of mini-police stations in areas with a high crime rate as proper centres of police visibility and a deterrent to criminals. To realise this task, it is necessary to integrate the latest approaches to Smart Urban Development with innovative urban planning technologies that would increase the influence of law enforcement agencies in the process of protecting public health and safety in cities. In particular, the article proposes the following for implementation: identifying crime hotspots by means of advanced geographic information systems, applying machine learning algorithms to predict future crime trends, using advanced real-time surveillance technologies and firearms detection systems, applying geospatial analysis to optimise patrol routes, dynamically adjusting patrol routes depending on real-time data analytics, deploying mobile command centres. As a result, law enforcement agencies can effectively communicate to potential criminals that their actions will not go unnoticed. They may achieve significant success in improving the overall quality of life of residents in such areas. Also, they will create safer communities, and reduce the number of incidents involving the use of firearms.

GIS-Based Assessment of Hybrid Pumped Hydro Storage as a Potential Solution for the Clean Energy Transition: The Case of the Kardia Lignite Mine, Western Greece

Planned decommissioning of coal-fired plants in Europe requires innovative technical and economic strategies to support coal regions on their path towards a climate-resilient future. The repurposing of open pit mines into hybrid pumped hydro power storage (HPHS) of excess energy from the electric grid, and renewable sources will contribute to the EU Green Deal, increase the economic value, stabilize the regional job market and contribute to the EU energy supply security. This study aims to present a preliminary phase of a geospatial workflow used to evaluate land suitability by implementing a multi-criteria decision making (MCDM) technique with an advanced geographic information system (GIS) in the context of an interdisciplinary feasibility study on HPHS in the Kardia lignite open pit mine (Western Macedonia, Greece). The introduced geospatial analysis is based on the utilization of the constraints and ranking criteria within the boundaries of the abandoned mine regarding specific topographic and proximity criteria. The applied criteria were selected from the literature, while for their weights, the experts' judgement was introduced by implementing the analytic hierarchy process (AHP), in the framework of the ATLANTIS research program. According to the results, seven regions were recognized as suitable, with a potential energy storage capacity from 1.09 to 5.16 GWh. Particularly, the present study's results reveal that 9.27% (212,884 m2) of the area had a very low suitability, 15.83% (363,599 m2) had a low suitability, 23.99% (550,998 m2) had a moderate suitability, 24.99% (573,813 m2) had a high suitability, and 25.92% (595,125 m2) had a very high suitability for the construction of the upper reservoir. The proposed semi-automatic geospatial workflow introduces an innovative tool that can be applied to open pit mines globally to identify the optimum design for an HPHS system depending on the existing lower reservoir.

The coastal fog and ecological balance for plants in the Jizan region, Saudi Arabia

Fog water collection provides a sustainable resource for watering of crops. The Jizan region is one of the smallest states in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) but very rich with unique flora, fauna, landscape diversity, and occurrence of fog. According to satellite data from the period between (1991–2021) the average visibility in this fog belt varied between 5 m and 100 m. Specific relief properties, such as elevation contrast, present rare space for flora preservation and sustainable fog utilization and use in the watering of crops. Some results showed that number of foggy days is not equal and can be divided in three big cycles. It was estimated that 8 × 1013 L, or 80 m3 of fresh water from fog per year, could be used for drinking and partly for farming in Jizan region from settlements Al Araq and Al Gandla, city of Jizan, Al Madaya, Al Mubarakiyah, Muwassam. This amount of water varied through time. The last observational period had large amount of water, 10 × 1013 L or 100 m3. The main methodologies used in this research were advanced GIS (Geographical Information Systems), Remote Sensing (RS), and numerical analysis. Satellite data were downloaded from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and Landsat 8 and 9 satellite missions. This kind of alternative water may produce stability for three main plants in Jizan region, palm, wheat and olive. Typical arid regions in KSA can be transformed by water used from the fog.

Spectral Indices as a Tool to Assess the Moisture Status of Forest Habitats

Measurement of water content in forest habitats is considered essential in ecological research on forests, climate change, or forest management. In the traditional forest habitat classification, two systems of habitat conditions analysis are found: single factor and multifactor methods. Both are laborious and therefore costly. Remote sensing methods provide a low-cost alternative. The aim of the presented study was to find the relationship between the spectral indices obtained from satellite images and the forest habitats moisture indices used traditionally in the Polish forest habitats classification. The scientific hypothesis of the research is as follows: it is possible to assess the variation in the humidity of forest habitats on the basis of spectral indices. Using advanced geographic information system (GIS) technology, 923 research plots were tested, where habitat studies performed with the traditional methods were compared with the analysis of 191 spectral indices calculated for Sentinel-2 image data. The normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) has proved to be the most useful to the assessing of moisture of forest habitats. The ranking of the most correlated indices was calculated as Eintg—the product of the absolute value of the slope and the mean square error complement, and for the top five indices was as follows: NDVI = 0.248619, EXG = 0.242112, OSAVI = 0.239412, DSWI-4 = 0.238784, and RDVI = 0.236995. The results also highlight the impact of water reservoirs on the humidity and trophicity of forest habitats, showing a decrease in the fertility of habitats with an increase in distance from the water reservoir. The results of the study can be used to preparing maps of the diversity of forest types, especially in hard-to-reach places, as well as to assess changes in the moisture status of habitats, which may be useful, for example, in the assessment of the fire risk of forest habitats. We have proved that NDVI can be used in applications for which it was not originally designed.

Estimating the Total Volume of Running Water Bodies Using Geographic Information System (GIS): A Case Study of Peshawar Basin (Pakistan)

The main objective of this study is to estimate the changes in land use and land cover in the Peshawar basin, Pakistan, from 2000 to 2020. This will greatly improve the selection of areas designated as the agricultural, industrial, and/or urban sectors of the region and will help in overcoming future problems. With the help of an advanced geographic information system (GIS), land-use and topographic changes were identified. Based on data of the 20 years from 2000 to 2020, the total runoff volume in the Peshawar basin from 2000 to 2010 was calculated to be 13.9 km3 and from 2010 to 2020 was 19.4 km3. This volume estimation will assist in quantifying the total infiltration rate. We inferred that the built-up area increased the most from 2010 to 2020 as compared to other classes. Results showed that from 2000 to 2020, there was a significant increase in urbanization and a significant decrease in vegetation. This study will help the farmer community and environmentalists to manage range land, agricultural land, populations, and water bodies.

CHANGE DETECTION IN LAND USE AND LAND COVER OF DISTRICT CHARSADDA PAKISTAN ALONG RIVER KABUL (2010 FLOOD): TAKING ADVANTAGE OF GEOGRAPHIC INFORMATION SYSTEM AND REMOTE SENSING

This study aims to quantify land use and land cover changes before and after the 2010 flood in district Charsadda, Pakistan. Advanced geographic information systems (GIS) and remote sensing techniques (RST) evaluate land use and land cover changes. The purpose of this research is to estimate and compare the pre-and post-flood changes and their influences on land use and land cover changes. Land use land cover data studies are important for sustainable management of natural resources; they are becoming increasingly important for assessing the environmental impacts of economic development. Moreover, some remedial measures are adopted to develop the area’s land cover to overcome future problems. Land use and land cover changes are measured using satellite images. Two instances, i.e., pre-flood and post-flood, are compared to analyze the change in land use and land cover of district Charsadda within 5 km along the Kabul River. Comparative analysis of pre-flood and post-flood imageries highlighted some drastic changes over the water body, built-up area, agricultural land, and bare land during flood instances. The study area is rural and agricultural land is dominant as compared to other land uses. We evaluated the percentage of different land use and land cover within our study area. The agricultural land found about 68.5%, barren land 22.5%, and the water body 8.8% before the flood. After inundation, the water body raised to 16.4%, bare soil increased to 26.3%, agricultural land degraded up to 57.0%, and settlements (villages) along the Kabul River were severely damaged and finished by this flood. 2010’s flood heavily damaged approximately four villages in district Nowshera, six in district Peshawar, and twenty-seven Charsadda District villages.

Historical River Training Works on the Lower Elbe

The paper deals with river training works built on the reach of the Elbe River between the city of Ústí nad Labem (CZ) and the Czech/German border. Downstream of the Ústí nad Labem, the Elbe in the Czech Republic and in Germany has only been made navigable through river training measures without building weirs. The goal of river training for watercourse navigability is to attain the required waterway parameters through fairway adjustments. This is primarily achieved through channel dredging and the construction of training dams to concentrate the water flow into a narrower but deeper main channel. The paper describes the historical development of river training works during the period from the Middle Ages to the present day. Initially, such works were not meant as part of a unified conceptually designed system of measures. Instead, they were local initiatives aimed to remove natural obstacles from the river bed and to build facilities and structures to aid navigation. Systematic regulation works along the Czech and German sections of the Elbe only started in the early 19th century. The research was focused on studying the original project documents and documentation of the actual design of the training dams since 1894. This historical design documentation was digitised and projected into the maps in the Czech JTSK local coordinate system through the use of advanced geographic information system (GIS) methods. The final atlas of river training works on the Elbe-Vltava Waterway (EVW) along the lower Elbe in the Czech Republic is the first of its kind, utilising geographic information systems to document the locations of technical structures built since the early 19th century in the Elbe River bed in order to make the river navigable and maintain its navigability. The collection of maps also documents the development of the river training works in time based on map data obtained from digitised design documentation from the 19th and 20th centuries, historical aerial photographs dated 1930–1946 and 1950–1964, and present-day maps and orthophotomaps of the Elbe section in question. The atlas of the Elbe-Vltava Waterway river training works is publicly available via a web-based application. The maps are a result of original research and offer a synthesis of interactions between the existing technical structures, the sediment regime of the Elbe and sites that are subject to environmental protection. The research was conducted as part of project no. DG18P02OVV004 entitled “Documentation and presentation of technical cultural heritage along the Elbe-Vltava Waterway” within a support programme for applied research and experimental development of national and cultural identity, funded by the Ministry of Culture of the Czech Republic.

Two-dimensional flood model for risk exposure analysis of land use/land cover in a watershed.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: The study involved developing a two-dimensional flood model to analyze the risk exposure of land use/land cover based on the generated flood hazard maps for the six return period scenarios in the Solana watershed.METHODS: The approach consisted of applying hydrologic and hydraulic numerical flood models and the suite of advanced geographic information systems and remote sensing technologies. The process involved utilizing a high-resolution digital elevation model and a set of high-precision instruments such as the real-time kinematic-global position system receiver, digital flow meter, deep gauge, and automatic weather station in collecting the respective data on bathymetry, river discharge, river depth, and rainfall intensity during a particular climatic event, needed for the model development, calibration and validation.FINDINGS: The developed two-dimensional flood model could simulate flood hazard with an 86% accuracy level based on the coefficient of determination statistics. The flood risk exposure analysis revealed that coconut is the most affected, with 31.3% and 37.1% being at risk across the 2-year and 100-year return period scenarios, respectively. Results also showed that rice and pineapple are at risk of flooding damage with the increasing rate of exposure by a magnitude of 42.9 and 9.3 across the 2-year and 100-year flood scenarios, respectively.CONCLUSION: The study highlighted the integration of the findings and recommendations in the localized comprehensive land use plan and implementation to realize the challenge of building a climate change proof and a flood-resilient human settlement in the urbanizing watershed of Solana.

Employment of Mapping Technology in Antimicrobial Resistance Reporting in Saudi Arabia.

Although Antimicrobial Resistance (AMR) is a worldwide threat, local AMR databases do not exist. Unlike other health disasters, developing containment strategies for AMR cannot be started without a representative, local, updated AMR data. However, Geographical Information Systems (GIS) mapping technology is capable of visualizing AMR data integrated with geographical regions. Due to the absence of AMR databases in Saudi Arabia, we searched Medline and Embase databases from inception until May 28, 2018, including literature that reported AMR data on the most prevalent gram-negative bacterial strains in Saudi Arabia. These data were extracted into Microsoft Excel file and inserted into STATA software, version 13 and ArcMap 10.6 software platform for mapping. We found particularly high levels of AMR in Makkah (Mecca), possibly due to high antibiotic consumption because of the influx of pilgrims, with Pseudomonas aeruginosa isolates showing the highest resistance rate against amikacin, aztreonam, cefepime, ceftazidime, ciprolfloxacin, gentamicin, imipenem, meropenem and pipracillin/tazobactam, and Enterobacteriaceae isolates against cefuroxime, ciprofloxacin, ampicillin, imipenem and ertapenem. The cause is, however, multifactorial since Acinetobacter baumannii isolates showed a variable resistance rate throughout the country. The employment of mapping technology in displaying AMR data extracted from published literature is a practically useful approach, and advanced GIS analyses should help stakeholders create containment strategies and allocate resources to slow down the emergence of AMR.

Geoinformation systems at the selection of engineering infrastructure of pumped storage hydropower for the tuyamuyun complex

In this article, we also consider the results of studying the problems and prospects of using information technologies to ensure the introduction of new innovative approaches to analyze engineering infrastructure of future pumped storage hydropower. This study aims to develop a series of advanced Geographic Information System algorithms to locate prospective sites for pumped storage hydropower. It is possible and useful to use the association of outputs from various scientific researches in one GIS-database as a universal tool for modelling. This demonstrates the site searching algorithms can work efficiently in the identification of off-river pumped hydro sites, allowing high-resolution assessments of pumped hydro energy storage to be quickly conducted on a broad scale. As an example of such an approach can be considered as one interconnected system which combination results of work:- The examples of the methodology for creating digital maps for information support, for the study of the technical parameters of hydropower and irrigation facilities at the level of Tuyamuyun hydroelectric complex.- System of digital maps and schemes that can be used in the development of environmentally acceptable modes of operation of in engineering infrastructure of hydraulic accumulating power plants.- The results of monitoring engineering infrastructure using geographic information systems, digital maps are shown, which allow for the design, repair and repair of hydraulic structures to take into account terrain, hydrography and other factors. Except this in work are offered several objects water systems, in which will possible introduce pumped storage power and are motivated to their technical-economic parameters.

Investigation and Response to an Outbreak of Dengue: Island of Hawaii, 2015-2016.

From September 2015 through March 2016, Hawaii had the largest outbreak of locally transmitted dengue since 1944. We report on the Hawaii Department of Health's (HDOH's) investigation, findings, and response to the outbreak. We defined cases of dengue using a modified version of the Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists' case definition for dengue virus infections. We conducted epidemiologic investigations, including interviews with case-persons, review of medical records, laboratory testing, genetic sequencing of specimens, and geographic information system (GIS) data analysis. Outbreak response included community outreach and vector-control activities. We identified 264 confirmed cases of dengue; illness onset dates ranged from September 11, 2015, to March 17, 2016, all with reported travel to or residence on the Island of Hawaii. Of 264 persons with confirmed dengue, 238 (90.2%) were Hawaii residents. Thirty-seven (14.0%) persons required hospitalization; no cases of severe dengue or death were reported. GIS hot-spot analysis identified a cluster of cases on the western side of the island. Established risk factors for dengue exposure included holes in window or door screens, presence of standing water, and not using insect repellent or wearing protective clothing. To prevent or mitigate the spread of future arboviral introductions and outbreaks, the public health response should focus on behavioral and cultural attitudes, emphasizing personal mosquito protection and mosquito control at the community level. Outbreak responses can also be enhanced through the use of advanced GIS techniques, such as hot-spot analysis, to provide situational awareness and guide response efforts.

Visualizations Out of Context: Addressing Pitfalls of Real-Time Realistic Hazard Visualizations

Realistic 3D hazard visualizations based on advanced Geographic Information Systems (GIS) may be directly driven by hydrodynamic and wind model outputs (e.g., ADCIRC, the ADvanced CIRCulation Model) and hazard impact modeling (e.g., predicting damage to structures and infrastructure). These methods create new possibilities for representing hazard impacts and support the development of near-real-time hazard forecasting and communication tools. This paper considers the wider implications of using these storm visualizations in light of current frameworks in the context of landscape and urban planning and cartography that have addressed the use of realistic 3D visualizations. Visualizations used outside of engagement processes organized by experts risk misleading the public and may have consequences in terms of feelings of individual self-efficacy or perception of scientists behind the visualizations. In addition to summarizing the implications of using these visualizations outside of recommended practices, a research agenda is proposed to guide the development of real-time realistic and semi-realistic visualizations for future use in hazard communication. Development of a clearer use-case for real-time visualization capabilities is an essential first step if such work is to continue.

A didactic approach to models of habitat suitability (HS) and the potential distribution of biological species

ABSTRACT The aim of the present assay is to provide a simple algorithm as well as a didactic theoretical framework that may serve as an introduction to understanding modern habitat suitability (HS) modelling techniques in Ecology and Biogeography. The proposal is built on classical descriptive statistics and classical ecological theories. Shelford’s theory of a bell-shaped curve of tolerance is used to assign suitability values to individual sites, according to their deviations from the optimal requirements of a hypothetical biological species. Liebig’s law of the minimum is applied to assess the overall suitability given a multivariate set of environmental factors. To illustrate the algorithms, hypothetical examples are given with small sets of values simulating data extracted from maps with environmental information. The reader/lecturer is invited to reproduce these small-scale examples using common spreadsheet software or to apply them at a large scale using raster datasets in any advanced geographic information system. As didactical outcomes, this algorithm allows introducing students to the general form and applications of bell-shaped exponential equations (with mu and sigma parameters), understanding the convenience of the law of the minimum when analysing multivariate datasets and the philosophical understanding of certainty/uncertainty when working with the multidimensional niche theory.

Predicting urban growth of Arriyadh city, capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, using Markov cellular automata in TerrSet geospatial system

This study aimed to predict urban expansion in Arriyadh city over a 30-year period, from 2017 to 2047. In the target year 2047, several changes are expected to occur in Arriyadh. The predicting was based on the revealed outputs of urban change within the last 30-year period, from 1987 to 2017. This study aimed to clarify the extent of urban expansion that would occur in the future to compare the expected future expansion with the present expansion in the city by using spatial dimension software. Several different software programs with advanced geographic information system (GIS) and remote sensing techniques were used: for example, ArcGIS, ERDAS, and Markov cellular automata in TerrSet. Using the US Geological Survey (USGS) site, we uploaded imagery (LANDSAT) for the study period from 1987 to 2017 and used the data and information from this period as a basis for drawing conclusions for predicting the urban area in 2047; we then carried out the analysis and adjusted it, such as for classification, editing, mosaic, geometric correction, and entry of geographical factors that we saw as having an impact on the future urban growth of the city. From the analysis and results drawn, the dimension of the physical changes during the 2017–2047 study period in the urban area is expected to be around 38%. The study also makes recommends using the expansion of urban studies as a tool to support decisionmakers in managing cities and to build databases to include demographic, economic, and environmental data. All this information and techniques can help in carrying out urban growth prediction accurately and clearly.

A geographical information systems-based approach to health facilities and urban traffic system in Belgrade, Serbia.

We studied the geospatial distribution of health facilities in Belgrade, the capital of the Republic of Serbia, in relation to the public transport system. Analyses in this research were based on advanced geographical information systems using numerical methods. We calculated accessibility to health centres as based on public transport properties accounting for the movement of citizens, as well as patients, through the city. Based on results, the city of Belgrade has a moderate connectivity. Public health centres and a group of other health centres in the central-east part of the city have a better connectivity. Also, in this paper we estimated that the average time necessary to reach health facilities on foot is 100 minutes and by public transport vehicles such as buses, trams and trolleys is 42 minutes.

Integrating spatial data analysis functionalities in a GIS environment: Spatial Analysis using ArcGIS Engine and R (SAAR).

Spatial data analysis (SDA) tools to efficiently handle and explore spatial data have become readily available. Although these SDA tools have their own strengths and purposes, they suffer from limited support in terms of a development environment offering easy customization and high extensibility, a strength of open source software. This paper presents a stand-alone software package for SDA in a geographic information systems (GIS) environment, called Spatial Analysis using ArcGIS Engine and R (SAAR), which provides an integrated GIS and SDA environment. A set of SDA tools in SAAR utilize functions in R using R.NET, while other tools were developed in .NET independent of R. SAAR provides an efficient working environment for both general and advanced GIS users. For general GIS users with limited programming skills, SAAR furnishes advanced SDA tools in a popular ArcGIS environment with graphical user interfaces. For advanced GIS users, SAAR offers an extensible GIS platform to help them customize and implement SDA functions with relatively little development effort. This paper demonstrates some functionalities of SAAR using census data for Texas counties.

Measuring high-density built environment for public health research: Uncertainty with respect to data, indicator design and spatial scale.

Uncertainty with respect to built environment (BE) data collection, measure conceptualization and spatial scales is evident in urban health research, but most findings are from relatively lowdensity contexts. We selected Hong Kong, an iconic high-density city, as the study area as limited research has been conducted on uncertainty in such areas. We used geocoded home addresses (n=5732) from a large population-based cohort in Hong Kong to extract BE measures for the participants' place of residence based on an internationally recognized BE framework. Variability of the measures was mapped and Spearman's rank correlation calculated to assess how well the relationships among indicators are preserved across variables and spatial scales. We found extreme variations and uncertainties for the 180 measures collected using comprehensive data and advanced geographic information systems modelling techniques. We highlight the implications of methodological selection and spatial scales of the measures. The results suggest that more robust information regarding urban health research in high-density city would emerge if greater consideration were given to BE data, design methods and spatial scales of the BE measures.

Geographic information system algorithms to locate prospective sites for pumped hydro energy storage

Pumped hydro energy storage is capable of large-scale energy time shifting and a range of ancillary services, which can facilitate high levels of photovoltaics and wind integration in electricity grids. This study aims to develop a series of advanced Geographic Information System algorithms to locate prospective sites for off-river pumped hydro across a large land area such as a state or a country. Two typical types of sites, dry-gully and turkey’s nest, are modelled and a sequence of Geographic Information System-based procedures are developed for an automated site search. A case study is conducted for South Australia, where 168 dry-gully sites and 22 turkey’s nest sites have been identified with a total water storage capacity of 441 gigalitres, equivalent to 276 gigawatt-hours of energy storage. This demonstrates the site searching algorithms can work efficiently in the identification of off-river pumped hydro sites, allowing high-resolution assessments of pumped hydro energy storage to be quickly conducted on a broad scale. The sensitivity analysis shows the significant influences of maximum dam wall heights on the number of sites and the total storage capacity. It is noted that the novel models developed in this study are also applicable to the deployments of other types of pumped hydro such as the locations of dry-gully and turkey’s nest sites adjacent to existing water bodies, old mining pits and oceans.

A spatial data pre-processing tool to improve the quality of the analysis and to reduce preparation duration

Abstract Spatial data analysis allows for a better understanding of environmental effects on the performance of an organization’s activities. One of the first steps required to process such an analysis is to gather all of the spatialized data corresponding to the elements that might influence the activities. Then, a series of treatments must be processed on those datasets to make them ready to be used in classical data mining tools. Those pre-processing steps are complex and time consuming tasks that may require advanced Geographic Information System (GIS) skills. Moreover, the choices involved in this process influence the quality of analysis results. With the aim of addressing those issues, we developed a tool that automatizes several steps of spatial data pre-processing tasks. To allow for reproducibility, the specifications of our approach, tools, architectures and techniques required are presented in detail. To support the effectiveness of our approach, a case study is presented that focuses on an evaluation of the processing time that is saved and the improvement of the quality of analysis.