Statistical Analysis of Spherical Data

this Is The First Comprehensive, Yet Clearly Presented, Account Of Statistical Methods For Analysing Spherical Data. The Analysis Of Data, In The Form Of Directions In Space Or Of Positions Of Points On A Spherical Surface, Is Required In Many Contexts In The Earth Sciences, Astrophysics And Other Fields, Yet The Methodology Required Is Disseminated Throughout The Literature. Statistical Analysis Of Spherical Data Aims To Present A Unified And Up-to-date Account Of These Methods For Practical Use. The Emphasis Is On Applications Rather Than Theory, With The Statistical Methods Being Illustrated Throughout The Book By Data Examples. This book aims to present a unified and up-to-date account of these methods for practical use. The emphasis is on applications with the statistical methods being illustrated throughout the book by data examples from many of the relevant fields. Particular care has been paid to the computational and computer aspects of the procedures, so that there is no gap between the presentation of a technique and its implementation. Many different ways of representing a three-dimensional unit vector or axis have been developed over the centuries, due not only to the requirements of disciplines (Astronomy, Geodesy, Geology, Geophysics, Mathematics,...) but also to diverse needs within a discipline: in Geology, for example, there appear to be five or six systems in current use.