By Shashikant Nishant Sharma

Thiessen polygons, also known as Voronoi diagrams, are a fundamental tool in spatial analysis, providing significant insights into geographical and other scientifically relevant data distributions. Named after the American meteorologist Alfred H. Thiessen, who popularized their use in the early 20th century, these polygons help in defining influence zones around a given set of points on a plane. This article explores the concept, creation process, and various applications of Thiessen polygons, emphasizing their utility in multiple scientific and practical fields.

What are Thiessen Polygons?

Thiessen polygons are a geometric representation used to delineate areas of influence for each of several points on a map. Each polygon corresponds to a specific point and consists of all the places that are closer to that point than to any other. These polygons are constructed such that every location within the polygon boundary is nearest to the point generating the polygon, ensuring that any spatial analysis using these zones is precise and relevant to the designated point.

How Are Thiessen Polygons Created?

The process of creating Thiessen polygons involves several mathematical steps:

1. Point Placement: Begin with a set of points on a plane. These points can represent various data sources like weather stations, cities, or other geographical features.
2. Perpendicular Bisectors: For each pair of points, draw a line segment connecting them, and then draw the perpendicular bisector of this line segment. The bisector will divide the space into two regions, each closer to one of the two points than to the other.
3. Intersection of Bisectors: The bisectors from all pairs of points intersect to form the boundaries of the Thiessen polygons. The process continues until the entire plane is divided into contiguous polygons, each surrounding one of the original points.

Applications of Thiessen Polygons

Thiessen polygons have diverse applications across various scientific disciplines and industries:

1. Meteorology and Climatology:
   • Precipitation Analysis: Thiessen polygons are used to estimate area-averaged rainfall from discrete weather stations. Each station influences a polygonal area, and precipitation data are averaged over these areas to provide a more comprehensive view of rainfall distribution.
2. Hydrology and Water Resources:
   • Catchment Area Analysis: In hydrology, Thiessen polygons can help determine the catchment areas of rivers or water catchments, aiding in the management of water resources and flood analysis.
3. Agriculture:
   • Irrigation Planning: Farmers use Thiessen polygons to analyze soil moisture levels and optimize irrigation systems, ensuring that water resources are used efficiently according to the proximity of water sources and field demands.
4. Urban Planning and Public Health:
   • Service Area Planning: These polygons help in planning public services such as hospitals, schools, and fire stations by defining which areas are closest to each service point, optimizing response times and accessibility.
   • Epidemiology: Health researchers use Thiessen polygons to study the spread of diseases from various epicenters, helping in targeted healthcare interventions.
5. Telecommunications:
   • Network Coverage Optimization: Thiessen polygons assist in determining areas of coverage and gaps for cellular networks based on the locations of signal towers.
6. Geography and Ecology:
   • Species Distribution: Ecologists use these polygons to study species distributions and interactions by mapping sightings to understand territorial boundaries.

Challenges and Considerations

While Thiessen polygons are a powerful tool for spatial analysis, they have limitations, particularly in complex terrains and in cases where geographic barriers affect the actual area of influence. Additionally, the accuracy of the polygons depends significantly on the density and distribution of the points used in their creation.

Conclusion

Thiessen polygons are an indispensable tool in geographic information systems (GIS), enabling precise spatial analysis across diverse fields from meteorology to urban planning. By simplifying complex geographical data into manageable zones of influence, they provide valuable insights that guide decision-making and research across the globe. As technology advances, the creation and use of Thiessen polygons are becoming more refined, offering even greater accuracy and utility in spatial analysis.

References

Boots, B. N. (1980). Weighting thiessen polygons. Economic Geography, 56(3), 248-259.

Brassel, K. E., & Reif, D. (1979). A procedure to generate Thiessen polygons. Geographical analysis, 11(3), 289-303.

Croley II, T. E., & Hartmann, H. C. (1985). Resolving thiessen polygons. Journal of Hydrology, 76(3-4), 363-379.

Fiedler, F. R. (2003). Simple, practical method for determining station weights using Thiessen polygons and isohyetal maps. Journal of Hydrologic engineering, 8(4), 219-221.

Rhynsburger, D. (1973). Analytic delineation of Thiessen polygons. Geographical Analysis, 5(2), 133-144.