  Least squares estimator of the stability parameter $\varrho := |\alpha| +
|\beta|$ for a spatial unilateral autoregressive process $X_{k,\ell}=\alpha
X_{k-1,\ell}+\beta X_{k,\ell-1}+\varepsilon_{k,\ell}$ is investigated.
Asymptotic normality with a scaling factor $n^{5/4}$ is shown in the unstable
case, i.e., when $\varrho = 1$, in contrast to the AR(p) model $X_k=\alpha_1
X_{k-1}+... +\alpha_p X_{k-p}+ \varepsilon_k$, where the least squares
estimator of the stability parameter $\varrho :=\alpha_1 + ... + \alpha_p$ is
not asymptotically normal in the unstable, i.e., in the unit root case.
