For decades, gravitational analysis has been a key instrument in analyzing spatial flows. Time and again, it has prompted new and challenging research questions. This paper provides a concise overview of the foundation, the conceptualization and empirical relevance of gravitational principles in regional science and spatial economics. Attention is also given to general “social physics” interpretations of gravity in spatial interaction models and to the impact of intangible distance frictions. The main emphasis in the study is placed on the significance of spatial impedance functions and gravity potential analysis. In particular, the paper focuses on cross-border trade and has three main goals: (i) to address the robustness of distance friction parameters related to trade borders, employing, inter alia, quantitative results from meta-analyses on trade models in spatial economics; (ii) to present a promising methodology based on gravity potential and the related gravitational gradient models that include directional intensities of flows; (iii) to test the validity of the latter approach on the basis of a vector gradient analysis of export patterns of the Netherlands. The paper argues that—despite the space-reducing impact of the modern digital technologies—gravitational principles still have an uncontested relevance in an analysis of spatial flows in regional science.

几十年来，重力分析一直是分析空间流的关键工具。它一次又一次地提出了新的挑战性研究问题。本文简要概述了重力科学原理在区域科学和空间经济学中的基础，概念化和经验相关性。还应注意在空间相互作用模型中对重力的一般“社会物理学”解释以及无形的距离摩擦的影响。该研究的主要重点是空间阻抗函数和重力势能分析的重要性。特别是，本文着重于跨境贸易，并具有三个主要目标：（i）解决与贸易边界有关的距离摩擦参数的稳健性，除其他外，采用 对空间经济学中贸易模型进行荟萃分析得出的定量结果；（ii）根据重力势和包括流向强度的相关重力梯度模型提出一种很有前途的方法；（iii）在对荷兰出口模式进行矢量梯度分析的基础上，检验后一种方法的有效性。该论文认为，尽管现代数字技术减少了空间，但引力原理在分析区域科学中的空间流动方面仍然具有无可争议的相关性。（iii）在对荷兰出口模式进行矢量梯度分析的基础上，检验后一种方法的有效性。该论文认为，尽管现代数字技术减少了空间，但引力原理在分析区域科学中的空间流动方面仍然具有无可争议的相关性。（iii）在对荷兰出口模式进行矢量梯度分析的基础上，检验后一种方法的有效性。该论文认为，尽管现代数字技术减少了空间，但引力原理在分析区域科学中的空间流动方面仍然具有无可争议的相关性。