MESA tool version 5.2.0 2026.05.27

This package provides compiled Windows 11 binaries for MESA 5.2, a desktop workflow for preparing, processing, and publishing spatial sensitivity analysis deliverables using the MESA method. The MESA 5.x line fully replaces all earlier MESA versions and provides a clear end-to-end workflow from inputs to published outputs.

The distribution includes pre-processed example data from Mafia Island, Tanzania, allowing immediate exploration of visualisation and reporting without additional setup.

MESA 5.2 carries forward the 5.1 foundation — the explicit, numbered processing pipeline with its two-tier memory watchdog, mid-stage Cancel, single-instance project lock, and ZSTD-compressed GeoParquet — and turns its attention to the Results side: maps and segmentation. The two former standalone viewers (Asset map and Results map) are replaced by a single, unified Maps window with linked zoom & pan, an opacity slider, basemap selection, floating layer controls, and PNG export. It now carries four tabs: Overview, Segmentation, Classifications, and Assets. A new Segment stage in the pipeline builds a deterministic overlap-signature typology, labelling each cell by the set of MESA sensitivity codes (A–E) its overlapping assets carry. On top of that, a new Classification tool groups cells by the shape of their joint (importance, susceptibility) histogram using a BIC-selected Gaussian Mixture: it separates places that share the same A–E class but differ in character — importance-driven versus susceptibility-driven — and records a per-cell certainty so the map shows where type boundaries are trustworthy. The Word report engine picks up these outputs with per-method, area-sorted tables and report-time selection of geocode groups and segmentation levels. The two normalised 0–100 indices (Importance index and Sensitivity index) have been removed in favour of the raw per-cell Sensitivity and Importance (max) layers and the precautionary OWA index, and context-sensitive (i) info icons across the launcher now link directly to the relevant wiki sections.

The reporting system is Word-first (.docx), improving reproducibility and easing downstream editing, while advanced cartographic layout remains supported via bundled QGIS projects. Lightweight status monitoring on the Status tab continues to support iterative and team-based work.

For method background, workflow details, and ongoing updates, refer to the MESA project wiki:

https://github.com/ragnvald/mesa/wiki