The spelling of the word "Thiessen" can be explained using the International Phonetic Alphabet (IPA). The first letter "T" is pronounced as /t/, followed by the vowel sound "ie" which is /i/ and the consonant "s" which is pronounced as /s/. The second "s" is also /s/, and the "en" at the end is pronounced as /ən/. Therefore, the correct IPA transcription of Thiessen is /tiəsən/. This spelling is commonly found in surnames and is often a variation of the name "Matthew."
Thiessen is a term commonly used in the field of geostatistics, a branch of statistics that deals with the analysis and interpretation of data with spatial attributes. It refers to a specific method for estimating the value of an unknown attribute at a given location based on values observed at surrounding locations.
In Thiessen's method, also known as Voronoi polygons or Thiessen polygons, the study area is divided into a series of polygons, with each polygon representing the region closest to a specific observation point. The polygon boundaries are determined by connecting the halfway points between each pair of adjacent observation points, thereby dividing the entire study area into distinct regions.
The estimation of the unknown attribute value within each Thiessen polygon is accomplished by assuming that the value is constant throughout that specific region. As a result, the value assigned to any point within a given polygon is the same as the value of the observation point that defines that particular polygon.
Thiessen polygons offer a practical and efficient approach for estimating attribute values in areas where the data points are sparse or irregularly distributed. This method facilitates the creation of a continuous surface representation of the attribute in question by linking the values assigned to each polygon using mathematical interpolation techniques.
Overall, the Thiessen method provides a valuable tool for estimating unknown attribute values based on data observations from nearby locations, particularly in spatial data analysis and environmental planning.