Raster vs Vector

Purpose

Distinguish raster and vector data models and show how each supports different parts of geospatial analysis.

Outline

• Raster cells as continuous spatial measurements
• Vector points, lines, and polygons as discrete features
• Attribute tables, pixel values, and geometry
• Sampling raster data with vector features
• Rasterizing, vectorizing, and the risks of conversion

Later Examples

• Extracting image values for field plots or administrative areas
• Masking raster analysis to a polygon boundary
• Comparing grid-based and feature-based representations