Grid systems for geographic modelling and simulation:A review

Journal: 《SCIENCE FOUNDATION IN CHINA》, August 2018

Cite as: CHEN Min, Lü GuoNian, LU FuQiang, WAN Gang. Grid systems for geographic modelling and simulation:A review. Science Foundation In China, Vol.26,No.3, 2018

Abstract: Geography requires a comprehensive understanding of both natural and human factors, as well as their interactions. Due to the complexity and multiplicity of geographic problems, various theories and methods for geographic modelling and simulation have been proposed. Currently, geography has entered an era in which quantitative analysis and modelling are essential for understanding the mechanisms of geographic processes. As the basic idea of quantitative spatial analysis, the specified space often needs to be partitioned by a series of small computational units (cells), i.e., grids. Thus, there is a close relationship between the grids and geographic modelling. This article reviews the mainstream and typical grids used for modelling and simulation. In addition to classification, the derived theories and technologies, including grid generation methods, data organization strategies, multi-dimensional querying methods, and grid adaptation techniques, are discussed. For integrated geographic simulation to explore comprehensive geographic problems, we argued that it is reasonable to build bridges among different types of grids (e.g., transformation strategies), and more powerful grids that can support multi-type of numerical computation are in urgently needed.