Demystifying Spatial Dependence: Interactive Visualizations for Interpreting Local Spatial Autocorrelation

Abstract: The Local Moran's I statistic is a valuable tool for identifying localized patterns of spatial autocorrelation. Understanding these patterns is crucial in spatial analysis, but interpreting the statistic can be difficult. To simplify this process, we introduce three novel visualizations that enhance the interpretation of Local Moran's I results. These visualizations can be interactively linked to one another, and to established visualizations, to offer a more holistic exploration of the results. We provide a JavaScript library with implementations of these new visual elements, along with a web dashboard that demonstrates their integrated use.