Transition Matrix Type

A Transition Matrix defines the rate at which cells transition from one category to another over a period of time. Each entry gives a From category, a To category, and a rate — the proportion of From cells that transition to To over that period. A category's rates sum to 1 across all its entries, but the stationary (From = To) share — the proportion that doesn't change — cannot be written directly; it's implied as whatever remains once the category's other rates are accounted for.

Determine Transition Matrix calculates one directly from a pair of calibration maps: given an initialLandscape, a finalLandscape, and a timeSteps count, it returns a singleStepMatrix (rates for the entire calibrated period) and a multiStepMatrix (rates normalized to one time unit, suitable for driving an iterative simulation), deriving each category's stationary share the same way. Calc Change Matrix is the typical consumer: given a Transition Matrix and the current landscape, it converts each entry's proportional rate into an absolute Change Matrix entry — the actual number of cells to change, based on the landscape's current class areas.

The transition matrix editor presents a table with fixed From/To/Rate columns.

A Transition Matrix constant has its own dedicated syntax in EGO Script — the same shape Change Matrix and Percent Matrix also use. Each entry is written FROM→TO RATE, with FROM and TO as integers joined directly by → with no space, followed by the rate as a real number. A stationary entry (FROM equal to TO) cannot be written; only the rates for actual transitions are given. Commas between entries are optional. This example gives class 1 a 10% chance of becoming class 2 and a 5% chance of becoming class 3 (85% remaining stationary), class 2 a 2% chance of becoming class 1 (98% stationary), and class 3 a 15% chance of becoming class 1 (85% stationary):

[
  1->2 0.1,
  1->3 0.05,
  2->1 0.02,
  3->1 0.15
]

• Converted from: Lookup Table Type and Table Type — the table must have the columns From* (Real), To* (Real), and Rate (Real).

• Converted to: Lookup Table Type and Table Type, using that same column layout.

See Type System for the complete conversion reference across all types.