On Some Analytical Statistics for Geographic Patterns: From Non-linearity to Linearity

In Getis and Paelinck (L’Espace Géographique, 2004, No 1) someanalytical indices for geographic patterns were proposed; one of them was a Chaitin conditional complexity index, c, based on the observed coordinates. This index was reanalyzed, and showed a large variability as a function of those coordinates.A new index of «peakiness», p, is proposed, tested, and applied to French data relating to «upper» employment in 37 areas of the Rhône-Alpes region (centered around Lyons).