Spatial scale is a specific application of the term scale for describing or categorizing (e.g. into orders of magnitude) the size of a space (hence spatial), or the extent of it at which a phenomenon or process occurs.[1][2]
For instance, in physics an object or phenomenon can be called microscopic if too small to be visible. In climatology, a micro-climate is a climate which might occur in a mountain, valley or near a lake shore. In statistics, a megatrend is a political, social, economical, environmental or technological trend which involves the whole planet or is supposed to last a very large amount of time. The concept is also used in geography, astronomy, and meteorology.[3]
These divisions are somewhat arbitrary; where, on this table, mega- is assigned global scope, it may only apply continentally or even regionally in other contexts. The interpretations of meso- and macro- must then be adjusted accordingly.
| Scale | Length | Area | Description |
|---|---|---|---|
| Micro | 1 m – 1 km | 1 m2 – 1 km2 | local |
| Meso | 1 km - 100 km | 1 km2 - 10,000 km2 | regional |
| Macro | 100 km - 10,000 km | 10,000 km2 - 100,000,000 km2 | continental |
| Mega | 10,000 km - 1,000,000 km | 100,000,000 - 10,000,000,000 km2 | global |
| Giga | >1,000,000 km | >10,000,000,000 km2 | superglobal |
See also
References
- ^ "Scale". The Pennsylvania State University. 2020. Retrieved 21 December 2020.
- ^ Atkinson, Peter M. (2005). "Spatial Scale, Problems of". Encyclopedia of Social Measurement. pp. 639–648. doi:10.1016/B0-12-369398-5/00355-8. ISBN 978-0-12-369398-3.
- ^ "spatial scale". United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia. 2015-10-06. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
- ^ "The Science and Art of Meteorology". education.nationalgeographic.org. Retrieved 2024-02-08.
