A method for estimating areal boundaries around centroids is by the generation of Thiessen polygons. In this paper the efficiency of such polygons as estimates of enumeration district (ED) areas is discussed. A new set of centroids and polygons is defined by use of Pinpoint Address Code (PAC) data and it is argued that these provide a more reliable estimate of ‘true’ ED areas than do OPCS (Office of Population Censuses and Surveys) centroids. More importantly though, the efficiency of these new centroids and polygons is demonstrated by using PAC data for individual buildings.
Get full access to this article
View all access options for this article.
References
1.
BootsB N, 1986Voronoi (Thiessen) Polygons CATMOG number 45 (Geo Books, Norwich).
2.
ClarkeJ IDewdneyJ CEvansI SRhindD WVisvalingamMDenhamC J, 1980People in Britain: A Census Atlas (HMSO, London).
3.
Company Profile, 1988, “Pinpoint Analysis Ltd”Mapping Awareness2(4) 21–24.
4.
CunliffeB W, 1971, “Some aspects of hillforts and their cultural environments”, in The Iron Age and its Hillforts Eds HillDJessonM (Millbrook Press, Southampton) pp 53–69.
5.
GatrellA C, 1983Distance and Space: A Geographical Perspective (Clarendon Press, London).
6.
GatrellA C, 1989, “On the spatial representation and accuracy of address-based data in the United Kingdom”International Journal of Geographical Information Systems3335–348.
7.
GatrellA CDunnC EBoyleP J, 1991, “The relative utility of the Central Postcode Directory and Pinpoint Address Code in applications of Geographical Information Systems”Environment and Planning A23 (forthcoming).
8.
GreenP JSibsonR, 1978, “Computing Dirichlet tessellations in the plane”Computing Journal21168–173.
9.
MartinD, 1989, “Mapping population data from zone centroid locations”Transactions of the Institute of British Geographers1490–97.
10.
OPCS, 1990, “Census newsletter 1991”, number 13, Office of Population Censuses and Surveys (HMSO, London).
11.
OpenshawS, 1984The Modifiable Areal Unit Problem CATMOG number 38 (Geo Books, Norwich).
12.
OpenshawSTaylorP J, 1981, “The modifiable areal unit problem”, in Quantitative Geography: A British View Eds WrigleyNBennettR J (Routledge, Chapman and Hall, Andover, Hants) pp 60–69.
13.
TanemuraMHasegawaM, 1980, “Geometrical models of territory, I. Models for synchronous and asynchronous settlement of territories”Journal of Theoretical Biology82477–496.
14.
ThiessenA H, 1911, “Precipitation averages for large areas”Monthly Weather Review391082–1084.
15.
WrayP JRichmondOMorrisonH L, 1983, “Use of the Dirichlet tessellation for characterizing and modeling nonregular dispersions of second-phase particles”Metallography1639–58.
