Density estimation based on line transect samples (Q2266338)

This article considers the estimation of the density of objects distributed on a region of the plane when the sampling method is the line transect. In this sampling method a line segment or transect is placed within the region. An observer traverses the transect, counts the number N of objects detected and for each detected object its perpendicular distance from the transect is recorded. Almost all of the sampling plans terminate as soon a predeterminate distance \(L_ 0\) is travelled by the observer. The author studies the case of a sampling plan which terminates as soon as \(L=L_ 0\) or \(N=N_ 0\). He derives the mean and variance of the maximum likelihood estimator of the density and obtains asymptotic approximations to them as \(\min (L_ 0,N_ 0)\to \infty\).