Inverse Distance Weighted Interpolation
One of the most commonly used techniques for interpolation of scatter points is inverse distance
weighted (IDW) interpolation. Inverse distance weighted methods are based on the assumption that the
interpolating surface should be influenced most by the nearby points and less by the more distant points.
The interpolating surface is a weighted average of the scatter points and the weight assigned to each
scatter point diminishes as the distance from the interpolation point to the scatter point increases.
Several options are available for inverse distance weighted interpolation. The options are selected using
the Inverse Distance Weighted Interpolation Options dialog. This dialog is accessed through the Options
button next to the Inverse distance weighted item in the 2D Interpolation Options dialog. SMS uses
Shepard's Method for ID