Author/Editor		Zhengwei, Yang; Guoquan, Liu; Wreford, Nigel G
Title		A new distance method for the quantitative analysis of point patterns in space
Type		članek
Source		Acta Stereol
Vol. and No.		Letnik 17, št. 2
Publication year		1998
Volume		str. 265-72
Language		eng
Abstract		A simple way to analyze the spatial distribution of a given point set in space is to first measure the nearest neighbor distance (the distance from a random point sampled toits nearest neighbor point). The a completely random point pattern with the same point density is generated by computer simulation (a Poisson point process) and the nearest neighbor distances measured in thesame way. By comparing the sizes and distribution of the distances, the pattern (clustered, random or systematic (regular)) of the given point set is determined. it is demonstrated in this paper that the complex and time-consuming proceudre, computer simulation of a random point set, can be replaced by a simples measurement of another nearest distance - the nearest star distance. This is the distance from a random test point "thrown" into the space to its nearest neighbor point from the given point set. A mean nearest neighbor distance which is smaller than, the same as orbigger than the mean nearest star distance, in combination with their distribution, will, suggest a clustered, random or systematic point pattern, respectively.
Descriptors		BIOMETRY IMAGE PROCESSING, COMPUTER-ASSISTED