Point pattern techniques in spatial statistics and an application

Spatial statistics is about statistical methods that regard spatially arranged data. Owing to spatial dependence theory which is present within spatial data, spatial statistics does not tend to use classical statistics methods or techniques. As in classical statistics, it has descriptive and deductive approaches as well as distinctive methods and techniques for spatial data. Methods employed in spatial statistics are generally divided into three groups based on the nature of the analysed spatial data. One type of the spatial data is spatial point pattern data. Spatial point pattern data are gathered from locations of point events. It deals with whether interrelated locations represent a meaningful pattern or not. When spatial point patterns are analysed, it is basically questioned whether the patterns display clustering and regularity in response to complete spatial randomness. Certain simulation techniques are used to compare distribution function predictions that make it possible to evaluate any deviation from complete spatial randomness to a distribution under complete spatial randomness.In this study, an application of spatial statistics methods and techniques on earthquake data is studied; therefore, the region of Gölcük, which was devastated by a major earthquake in the recent past has been chosen. Using the earthquakes that have happened in the region as mere statistical data, by means of spatial statistics methods and techniques, the simulation study for the earthquakes that may happen in the region in future has been derived with the help of earthquake data gathered between the year 1900 and January 01, 2010.