A spatial weights matrix is a representation of the spatial structure of data. It is a quantification of the spatial relationships between features in a dataset. The spatial weights matrix is a table in which there is one row for every feature and one column for every feature. The cell value for any row and column combination is the weight that quantifies the spatial relationship between those row and column features.
There are many ways to define spatial relationships, but in spatial statistics, most relationships are spatial neighborhoods, such as a k nearest neighbors or a fixed distance band around every feature.
Learn more about neighborhoods and modeling spatial relationships
Based on how you represent and weight spatial relationships between features, the Generate Spatial Weights Matrix tool creates a spatial weights matrix file (.swm). The file can then be used in various tools and functions including Spatial Autocorrelation (Global Moran's I), Hot Spot Analysis (Getis-Ord Gi*), Cluster and Outlier Analysis (Anselin Local Moran's I), and Neighborhood Explorer.
References
The following resources were used to implement the tool:
- Getis, Arthur, and Jared Aldstadt. 2004. "Constructing the spatial weights matrix using a local statistic." Geographical analysis. 36, no. 2: 90-104. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1538-4632.2004.tb01127.x.