An introduction to geostatistics stressing the multivariate aspects for scientists, engineers and statisticians. The book presents a brief review of statistical concepts, a detailed introduction to linear geostatistics, and an account of three basic methods of multivariate analysis. Applications from very different areas of science, as well as exercises with solutions, are provided to help convey the general ideas. In this second edition, the chapters regarding normal kriging and cokriging have been restructured and the section on non-stationary geostatistics has been entirely rewritten.

Univariate description. Bivariate description. Spatial description. Data sets. Estimation. Random function models. Global estimation. Point estimation. Ordinary kriging. Block kriging. Search strategy. Cross validation. Cokriging. Estimating a distribution. Change of support. Assessing uncertainty. Final thoughts.

Geostatistics is essential for environmental scientists. Weather and climate vary from place to place, soil varies at every scale at which it is examined, and even man-made attributes – such as the distribution of pollution – vary. The techniques used in geostatistics are ideally suited to the needs of environmental scientists, who use them to make the best of sparse data for prediction, and top plan future surveys when resources are limited. Geostatistical technology has advanced much in the last few years and many of these developments are being incorporated into the practitioner’s repertoire. This second edition describes these techniques for environmental scientists. Topics such as stochastic simulation, sampling, data screening, spatial covariances, the variogram and its modeling, and spatial prediction by kriging are described in rich detail. At each stage the underlying theory is fully explained, and the rationale behind the choices given, allowing the reader to appreciate the assumptions and constraints involved.

This volume is the first book-length treatment of model-based geostatistics. The text is expository, emphasizing statistical methods and applications rather than the underlying mathematical theory. Analyses of datasets from a range of scientific contexts feature prominently, and simulations are used to illustrate theoretical results. Readers can reproduce most of the computational results in the book by using the authors' software package, geoR, whose usage is illustrated in a computation section at the end of each chapter. The book assumes a working knowledge of classical and Bayesian methods of inference, linear models, and generalized linear models.

Engineers and applied geophysicists routinely encounter interpolation and estimation problems when analysing data from field observations. Introduction to Geostatistics presents practical techniques for the estimation of spatial functions from sparse data. The author's unique approach is a synthesis of classic and geostatistical methods with a focus on the most practical linear minimum-variance estimation methods, and includes suggestions on how to test and extend the applicability of such methods. The author includes many useful methods (often not covered in other geostatistics books) such as estimating variogram parameters, evaluating the need for a variable mean, parameter estimation and model testing in complex cases (e.g. anisotropy, variable mean, and multiple variables), and using information from deterministic mathematical models. Well illustrated with exercises and worked examples taken from hydrogeology, Introduction to Geostatistics assumes no background in statistics and is suitable for graduate-level courses in earth sciences, hydrology, and environmental engineering, and also for self-study.

Geostatistics for Engineers and Earth Scientists