Georeferencing - Part 1 Flashcards
Geodesy
Branch of mathematics dealing with the shape and area of the Earth or large portions of it.
Datum (3 parts)
Refers to a reference or foundation surface against which accurate position measurements are made.
Defines how a coordinate system is seathed over the ellipsoid
A “connected” unified network of measurements,
Examples of different datums
North American Datum 1927 (NAD27)
New North American Datum, 1983 (NAD28)
Tokyo 97
NAD83,
WGS 84
Ellipsoid
An ellipsoid is a three-dimensional geometric figure that resembles a sphere, but whose equatorial axis is slightly longer than its polar axis
Geoid
the hypothetical shape of the earth, coinciding with mean sea level and its imagined extension under (or over) land areas.
a ‘lumpy’ ellipsoid.
DEM
Digital Elevation Model
The Earth’s Shape (3 parts)
“Lumpy” Geoid
Imperfect Oblate Ellipsoid (Spheroid)
Slightly flattened at the North and South poles
Ellipsoid vs Geoid
Ellipsoids are commonly used as surrogates for geoids so as to simplify the mathematics involved in relating a coordinate system grid with a model of the Earth’s shape.
Ellipsoids and Geodesy
Ellipsoids provide a practical solution to measuring earth’s ‘lumpy’ surface.
Ellipsoids are used as surrogates for geoids, simplying the mathematics involved in relating a coordinate system grid with a model of the Earth’s shape.
Digital Elevation Model (DEM)
Generic term used to describe a continuous digital elevation surface above sea level.
Datum Types
Horizontal
Vertical
horizontal datum
A collection of points on the Earth that have been identified according to their precise northerly or southerly location (latitude) and easterly or westerly location (longitude)
Vertical datum
A collection of spatially distributed points on the Earth with known heights either above or below mean sea level.
How are HORIZONTAL DATUMS created?
Surveyors mark each of the positions identified on the Earth with a brass, bronze or aluminum disk monument.
Elevation
Height above a fixed reference point, usually a refrence geoid (model of the Earth’s sea level).
DTM
Digital Terrain Models
Digital Elevation Model (DEM
Generic term used to describe a continuous digital elevation surface above sea level.
Digital Surface Model (DSM)
Includes the elevation of all the features in the terrain above sea level such as bare ground, buildings, trees, powerlines
DIgital Terrain Model (DTM)
Contains only elevations of the bare ground above sea level without any buildings, trees, etc.
How is mean seal level determined near coastal areas?
Tide Gauge.
How is mean sea level determined far away from the shore?
Determined by the shape of the geoid.
Types of Coordinate Systems
Cartesian
Longitude & Latitude
Cartesian Coordinate System
A system that assigns two coordinates (x and y) to every point on a flat surface.
Latitude and Longitude System
Measured from a theoretical point at the center of the Earth