Spatial scale

{{other uses|Scale (disambiguation)}}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.{{cite web|url=https://www.e-education.psu.edu/geog30/node/317|title=Scale|publisher=The Pennsylvania State University|date=2020|accessdate=21 December 2020}}{{Cite web |title=Spatial Scale - an overview {{!}} ScienceDirect Topics |url=https://www.sciencedirect.com/topics/mathematics/spatial-scale |access-date=2024-02-08 |website=www.sciencedirect.com}}

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.{{Cite web |date=2015-10-06 |title=spatial scale |url=https://archive.unescwa.org/spatial-scale |access-date=2024-02-08 |website=United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia |language=en}}

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.

File:A cosmic sense of scale.webm

class="wikitable floatright nowrap" |+ Examples of scales in geography and metereology{{Cite web |title=The Science and Art of Meteorology |url=https://education.nationalgeographic.org/resource/science-art-meteorology |access-date=2024-02-08 |website=education.nationalgeographic.org |language=en}}
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

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