Uncertainty analysis of space–time prisms based on the moment-design method

ABSTRACT

Space–time prism (STP) is an important concept for the modeling of object movements in space and time. An STP can be conceptualized as the result of the potential path of a moving object revolving around in the three-dimensional space. Though the concept has found applications in time geography, research on the analysis and propagation of uncertainty in STPs, particularly under high degree of nonlinearity, is scanty. Based on the efficiency and effectiveness of the moment-design (M-D) method, this paper proposes an approach to deal with nonlinear error propagation problems in the potential path areas (PPAs) of STPs and their intersections. Propagation of errors to the PPA and its boundary, and to the intersection of two PPAs is investigated. Performance of the proposed method is evaluated via a series of experimental studies. In comparison with the Monte Carlo method and the implicit function method, simulation results show the advantages of the M-D method in the analysis of error propagation in STPs.

KEYWORDS:

• Error propagation
• space–time prism
• potential path area
• moment-design method

Additional information

Funding

This research was supported by the earmarked grant CUHK 446213 of the Hong Kong Research Grant Council, and the Geographical Modelling and Geocomputation Program under the Focused Innovation Scheme of The Chinese University of Hong Kong.