Review of Spatial Interpolation Methods for Environmental Scientists

A review document compares 62 spatial interpolation methods and sub-methods based on 51 comparative studies in environmental sciences. It quantifies impacts of factors like sample density using data from 77 cases and classifies 26 methods based on their features. The document was published via the Australian Ocean Data Network and last updated in May 2026.

Use Cases

• Selecting an appropriate interpolation method based on data availability and nature using the provided decision tree.
• Comparing the performance of interpolation methods for different variables based on summarized assessment measures.
• Understanding the impact of sampling design and data quality on interpolation accuracy based on discussed factors.
• Identifying software packages for spatial interpolation based on the provided list.
• Applying interpolation methods to marine environmental data based on the specific recommendations.

Strengths

• Summarizes 51 comparative studies on interpolation method performance.
• Compares 62 methods and sub-methods across the reviewed studies.
• Quantifies impacts of factors using data from 77 cases.
• Provides a decision tree for selecting from 26 classified methods.

Limitations

• Column-level documentation is absent; field semantics must be inferred after download.
• Row count is unknown, which may limit suitability assessment.
• Data may reflect geographic bias inherent to data_gov_au.

Provenance

Source

Australian Ocean Data Network

Collection Method

Review and synthesis of existing comparative studies.

Freshness

Last updated 2026-05-05 01:53:29.640630; freshness should be verified.