modifiable areal unit problem

(1)

We intended to narrow our focus in order to analyze unserviced neighborhoods in the context of urban heat. However, when we looked at our findings with more detail, a modifiable areal unit problem (or MAUP) became apparent.

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(2)

After overlaying the cooling center service areas to the census blocks with demographic and temperature data, the blocks that partially intersected the areas were all showing signs of vulnerability.

(Image 1) Some of them, however, were mostly covered by the service area of a cooling center. This introduced distortion to our analysis of the effects of cooling centers on specific neighborhoods.

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(3)

(Image 2) For that reason, we calculated the ratio between the total area of the blocks and the area actually included inside the service area of each cooling center. 0 0.25 0.50.125 Miles

(Image 3) For a block to be serviced by a cooling center, we decided that at least 50% of its area must be included within the service area.

0 1 Mi

1 Mi

0.25 Mi 0 1 20.5 Miles