Intelligent n-Means Spatial Sampling

Fuente: arXiv
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Autores principales: Panahbehagh, Bardia, Mohebbi, Mehdi, HosseiniNasab, Amir Mohammad
Formato: Preprint
Publicado: 2025
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author Panahbehagh, Bardia
Mohebbi, Mehdi
HosseiniNasab, Amir Mohammad
author_facet Panahbehagh, Bardia
Mohebbi, Mehdi
HosseiniNasab, Amir Mohammad
contents Well-spread samples are desirable in many disciplines because they improve estimation when target variables exhibit spatial structure. This paper introduces an integrated methodological framework for spreading samples over the population's spatial coordinates. First, we propose a new, translation-invariant spreadness index that quantifies spatial balance with a clear interpretation. Second, we develop a clustering method that balances clusters with respect to an auxiliary variable; when the auxiliary variable is the inclusion probability, the procedure yields clusters whose totals are one, so that a single draw per cluster is, in principle, representative and produces units optimally spread along the population coordinates, an attractive feature for finite population sampling. Third, building on the graphical sampling framework, we design an efficient sampling scheme that further enhances spatial balance. At its core lies an intelligent, computationally efficient search layer that adapts to the population's spatial structure and inclusion probabilities, tailoring a design to each specific population to maximize spread. Across diverse spatial patterns and both equal- and unequal-probability regimes, this intelligent coupling consistently outperformed all rival spread-oriented designs on dispersion metrics, while the spreadness index remained informative and the clustering step improved representativeness.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2510_24183
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Intelligent n-Means Spatial Sampling
Panahbehagh, Bardia
Mohebbi, Mehdi
HosseiniNasab, Amir Mohammad
Methodology
Well-spread samples are desirable in many disciplines because they improve estimation when target variables exhibit spatial structure. This paper introduces an integrated methodological framework for spreading samples over the population's spatial coordinates. First, we propose a new, translation-invariant spreadness index that quantifies spatial balance with a clear interpretation. Second, we develop a clustering method that balances clusters with respect to an auxiliary variable; when the auxiliary variable is the inclusion probability, the procedure yields clusters whose totals are one, so that a single draw per cluster is, in principle, representative and produces units optimally spread along the population coordinates, an attractive feature for finite population sampling. Third, building on the graphical sampling framework, we design an efficient sampling scheme that further enhances spatial balance. At its core lies an intelligent, computationally efficient search layer that adapts to the population's spatial structure and inclusion probabilities, tailoring a design to each specific population to maximize spread. Across diverse spatial patterns and both equal- and unequal-probability regimes, this intelligent coupling consistently outperformed all rival spread-oriented designs on dispersion metrics, while the spreadness index remained informative and the clustering step improved representativeness.
title Intelligent n-Means Spatial Sampling
topic Methodology
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2510.24183