The Zonal tools allow you to perform analysis when the output is a result of computations performed on all cells that belong to each input zone. A zone can be defined as a single area of a particular value, but it can also be composed of multiple disconnected elements, or regions, all having the same value. Zones can be defined by raster or feature datasets. Rasters must be of integer type, and features must have an integer or string attribute field.
Some zonal tools quantify certain properties of the geometry, or shape, of the zone input and do not require any other inputs. Other zonal tools use the zone input to define the locations for which other parameters will be calculated, such as statistics, areas, or value frequencies. There is also a zonal tool that is used to fill specified zones with the minimum value found along the zone boundary.
The applications for zonal tools are divided into the following categories:
| Zonal tool application category | Tool(s) |
|---|---|
Tools that work on zone shapes. | Zonal Geometry Zonal Geometry As Table |
Tools that work on zone attributes. | Zonal Statistics Zonal Statistics as Table |
Tool that determines the area of classes within zones. | Tabulate Area |
Tool that determines the frequency distribution of values of one input raster within zones of another. | Zonal Histogram |
Tool that fills specified zones. | Zonal Fill |
The following table lists the available tools and provides a brief description of each.
| Tool | Description |
|---|---|
Calculates cross-tabulated areas between two datasets and outputs a table. | |
Fills zones using the minimum cell value from a weight raster along the zone boundary. | |
Calculates the specified geometry measure (area, perimeter, thickness, or the characteristics of an ellipse) for each zone in a dataset. | |
Calculates the geometry measures (area, perimeter, thickness, and the characteristics of an ellipse) for each zone in a dataset and reports the results as a table. | |
Creates a table and a histogram graph that show the frequency distribution of cell values on the value input for each unique zone. | |
Summarizes the values of a raster within the zones of another dataset. | |
Summarizes the values of a raster within the zones of another dataset and reports the results as a table. |