Raster Data

The Raster Data Model

The Raster Data Model is
used to model spatial
phenomena that vary
continuously over a
surface and that do not
have discrete dimension

Elevation
Temperature
Rainfall
Noise Levels

Surfaces Have Numeric Values

Things like
elevation,
temperature, slope
and precipitation
have measurable
values for any
particular location
on the earths
surface.

Surfaces Have Numeric Values

To model these
phenomena, an
area of interest is
divided into an
array of identically
sized squares
The centers of
these squares then
become the
sample points

Surfaces Have Numeric Values

The values of the
variable of interest
are recorded, or
estimated, at each
of the sample
points.

Surfaces Have Numeric Values

These values can
then be assigned
colors, or shades
of gray, in order for
them to be
visualized

Digital Photos
The most familiar type of
Raster Data is the digital
photograph.
Digital Photos are raster
datasets that record the
relative amount of light
being reflected off of a
surface.

Color Digital Photos

Color Digital Photos are
actually made up of three
Raster Datasets, each of
which describes the
amount of reflected Red,
Green & Blue light,
respectively.
These 3 raster datasets
are combines (by the
computer) into the R-G-B
color image we are used
to seeing.

Transforming Raster Data

ArcGIS provides many tools for
applying mathematical
transformations to Raster Data.
Many of these transformations
take advantage of Map Algebra,
a special set of functions similar
to Matrix Algebra.

Transforming Raster Data

For Example:
You might start
with a Digital
Elevation Model
(DEM), which
contains the
elevation values at
regular intervals.

Transforming Raster Data

Using the tools in the
ArcToolbox the DEM
can be used to
calculate a Slope
Raster.
This Slope Raster
contains the
Maximum change in
elevation for every
elevation point,
measured in degrees.

Converting Raster Data

ArcToolbox also
contains tools to
convert from
Raster Data to
various types of
Vector Data.
Including:
Topographic Contours
Polygons of Classes of
values that occur in the
raster dataset

Extracting Raster Values

ArcToolbox
provides tools for
extracting Raster
Data values to
vector data.

Creating Raster Data

Finally, there are a
number of tools in
ArcToolbox that allow one
to Create Raster Data.
For example, you can
create a Raster Dataset
that contains the Distance
from some feature to
every other point in the
area of interest.
The distance values can
then be extracted to other
datasets for use as an
attribute for analysis.