Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is a mixture of pollutants that has been linked to serious health problems, including premature mortality. Since the chemical composition of PM2.5 varies across space and time, the association between PM2.5 and mortality could also change with space and season. A...

Gaussian geostatistical models (GGMs) and Gaussian Markov random fields (GMRFs) are two distinct approaches commonly used in spatial models for modeling point-referenced and areal data, respectively. In this paper, the relations between GGMs and GMRFs are explored based on approximations of...

Spatial statistics is one of the major methodologies of image analysis, field trials, remote sensing, and environmental statistics. The standard methodology in spatial statistics is essentially based on the assumption of stationary and isotropic random fields. Such assumptions might not hold in...