What is raster data primarily used for in GIS?

Raster data is primarily utilized in GIS for representing continuous data, which includes various forms such as satellite imagery, elevation models, temperature variations, and land cover classification. The format consists of a grid of cells or pixels where each cell holds a value that represents an attribute at that specific location. This makes raster data particularly effective for capturing and analyzing phenomena that vary continuously across space, such as gradients of temperature or vegetation density.

For example, in the case of satellite imagery, each pixel contains data reflecting the color and intensity of light reflected from the Earth's surface, allowing for detailed analysis of land cover and changes over time. Elevation data is often represented in raster format as well, using various shades to denote height above sea level, making it easy to visualize topography across a landscape.

The other options focus on different aspects of GIS data representations that do not align with the fundamental characteristics of raster data. Discreet feature representation and vector data storage are more related to vector data types, which are used for representing distinct features like roads and boundaries. Temporal data capture involves tracking changes over time, which can be represented in both raster and vector formats but does not specifically characterize the primary use of raster data within the context of continuous data representation.