From geometries to rasters
Some data are not linked to geometries
Some data are linked to cells of a grid
Grid can be represented as geometries
But it is inefficient!
N-D arrays in xarray
Efficient storage
Efficient processing (grids are predictable!)
Efficient scaling
Efficient data structure for N-dimensional data
Directly reflect the way some data is captured
Grids in social geography
Usually large (global) scale data
Population grids
Built-up area
Built-up volume
Typology of urbanisation
Land cover
Satellite imagery
Temperature
Weather