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Prediction of spatial variability is one of the most important issues in the analysis of spatial data. So predictions are usually made by assuming that the data follow a spatial model. In General, the spatial models are the spatial autoregressive (SAR), the conditional autoregressive and the moving average models. In this paper, we estimated parameter of SAR(2,1) model by using maximum likelihood and obtained formulas for predicting in SAR models, including the prediction within the data (interpolation) and outside the data (extrapolation). Finally, we evaluate the prediction methods by using image processing data.

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The Gaussian random field is commonly used to analyze spatial data. One of the important features of this random field is having essential properties of the normal distribution family, such as closure under linear transformations, marginalization and conditioning, which makes the marginal consistency condition of the Kolmogorov extension theorem. Similarly, the skew-Gaussian random field is used to model skewed spatial data. Although the skew-normal distribution has many of the properties of the normal distribution, in some definitions of the skew-Gaussian random field, the marginal consistency property is not satisfied. This paper introduces a stationery skew-Gaussian random field, and its marginal consistency property is investigated. Then, the spatial correlation model of this skew random field is analyzed using an empirical variogram. Also, the likelihood analysis of the introduced random field parameters is expressed with a simulation study, and at the end, a discussion and conclusion are presented.

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Gaussian random field is usually used to model Gaussian spatial data. In practice, we may encounter non-Gaussian data that are skewed. One solution to model skew spatial data is to use a skew random field. Recently, many skew random fields have been proposed to model this type of data, some of which have problems such as complexity, non-identifiability, and non-stationarity. In this article, a flexible class of closed skew-normal distribution is introduced to construct valid stationary random fields, and some important properties of this class such as identifiability and closedness under marginalization and conditioning are examined. The reasons for developing valid spatial models based on these skew random fields are also explained. Additionally, the identifiability of the spatial correlation model based on empirical variogram is investigated in a simulation study with the stationary skew random field as a competing model. Furthermore, spatial predictions using a likelihood approach are presented on these skew random fields and a simulation study is performed to evaluate the likelihood estimation of their parameters. 

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Spatial regression models are used to analyze quantitative spatial responses based on linear and non-linear relationships with explanatory variables. Usually, the spatial correlation of responses is modeled with a Gaussian random field based on a multivariate normal distribution. However, in practice, we encounter skewed responses, which are analyzed using skew-normal distributions. Closed skew-normal distribution is one of the extended families of skew-normal distributions, which has similar properties to normal distributions. This article presents a hierarchical Bayesian analysis based on a flexible subclass of closed skew-normal distributions. Given the time-consuming nature of Monte Carlo methods in hierarchical Bayes analysis, we have opted to use the variational Bayes approach to approximate the posterior distribution. This decision was made to expedite the analysis process without compromising the accuracy of our results. Then, the proposed model is implemented and analyzed based on the real earthquake data of Iran.