Population Density Pattern Using Spatial Interaction Models and its Simulation

Abstract

This Communication attempts to examine the Urban Population Density of Karachi using Spatial Interaction models. It determines urban densities and analyzes density models and relates them with those from empirical analyses of real urban data. In view of these models new spatial structures are proposed for the existing urban areas. Considering various hypothetical ring shaped areas surrounding our pre-selected centre the spatial structure of the city is discussed. The city is divided into 10, 15 and 20 such rings (with radii increasing by 1). Then the Flatten Gradient Density Model FGDM developed in Abbas [Shaheen Abbas] is applied on these concentric rings to determine population density to compute various gradient parameters. Using these computations best suited value of the gradient parameter β is determined. The best suited value of β appears to be 1 for which the density turns out to be 1. Linear Model, Log Linear Model and Log-Transformation Exponential Models LETM are used to verify the results. The best correlation is obtained by LTEM.