Spatial neural networks (SNNs) constitute a supercategory of tailored neural networks (NNs) for representing and predicting geographic phenomena. They generally improve both the statistical accuracy and reliability of the a-spatial/classic NNs whenever they handle geo-spatial datasets, and also of the other spatial (statistical) models (e.g. spatial regression models) whenever the geo-spatial datasets' variables depict non-linear relations.[2][3][1]
Openshaw (1993) and Hewitson et al. (1994) started investigating the applications of the a-spatial/classic NNs to geographic phenomena.[4][5] They observed that a-spatial/classic NNs outperform the other extensively applied a-spatial/classic statistical models (e.g. regression models, clustering algorithms, maximum likelihood classifications) in geography, especially when there exist non-linear relations between the geo-spatial datasets' variables.[4][5] Thereafter, Openshaw (1998) also compared these a-spatial/classic NNs with other modern and original a-spatial statistical models at that time (i.e. fuzzy logic models, genetic algorithm models); he concluded that the a-spatial/classic NNs are statistically competitive.[6] Thereafter scientists developed several categories of SNNs – see below.
Spatial statistical models (aka geographically weighted models, or merely spatial models) like the geographically weighted regressions (GWRs), SNNs, etc., are spatially tailored (a-spatial/classic) statistical models, so to learn and model the deterministic components of the spatial variability (i.e. spatial dependence/autocorrelation, spatial heterogeneity, spatial association/cross-correlation) from the geo-locations of the geo-spatial datasets’ (statistical) individuals/units.[7][8][1][9]
There exist several categories of methods/approaches for designing and applying SNNs.
There exist case-study applications of SNNs in: