Geomatics for Air

Navigation
C02: Coordinate systems used in
geodesy.
Eng. Tiberius TOMOIAG, PhD
Phone: 0722.91.46.22
Email: t_tibis@yahoo.com

LOGO

Introduction
Geo-referencing:

The
process
of
delimiting a given object, either physical
(eg. a lake) or conceptual (eg. an
administrative region), in terms of its
spatial relationship to the land; the
geographic reference thus established
consists of points, lines, areas or volumes
defined in terms of some coordinate
system (usually latitude and longitude, or
projected coordinates).

Introduction
This overview of coordinate systems for
georeferencing provides a brief description
of local and global systems for use in
precise positioning, navigation, and
geographic information systems for the
location of points in space.
There are many different coordinate
systems, based on a variety of geodetic
datums, units, projections, and reference
systems in use today.

Basic Coordinate Systems

There are many basic coordinate systems
familiar to students of geometry and
trigonometry.
These systems can represent points in
two-dimensional or three-dimensional
space.

Basic Coordinate Systems

Ren Descartes (1596-1650) introduced
systems of coordinates based on
orthogonal (right angle) coordinates.
These two and three-dimensional systems
used in analytic geometry are often
referred to as Cartesian systems.
Similar systems based on angles from
baselines are often referred to as polar
systems.

Basic Coordinate Systems

1. Plane Coordinate Systems

Two-dimensional coordinate systems are

defined with respect to a single plane, as
demonstrated in the following figures:

Basic Coordinate Systems

Basic Coordinate Systems

Basic Coordinate Systems

Basic Coordinate Systems

Basic Coordinate Systems

2. Three-Dimensional Systems

Three-dimensional coordinate systems

can be defined with respect to two
orthogonal planes.

Basic Coordinate Systems

Basic Coordinate Systems

Basic Coordinate Systems

Basic Coordinate Systems

Coordinate Systems used in

Geomatics - ECEF
Geocentric

coordinates,
or
Earth
Centered, Earth Fixed (ECEF) Cartesian
coordinates.
ECEF X, Y, and Z Cartesian coordinates
define three dimensional positions with
respect to the center of mass of the
reference ellipsoid.

Coordinate Systems used in

Geomatics - ECEF
Definition:
The Z-axis points from the center toward the
North Pole.
The X-axis is the line at the intersection of the
plane defined by the prime meridian and the
equatorial plane.
The Y-axis is defined by the intersection of a
plane rotated 90 east of the prime meridian
and the equatorial plane.

Coordinate Systems used in

Geomatics -ECEF

Coordinate Systems used in

Geomatics -ECEF
This is the system that GPS uses
internally for doing it calculations, but
since this is very unpractical to work with
as a human being ( due to the lack of wellknown concepts of east, north, up, down)
it is rarely displayed to the user but
converted to another coordinate system.

Coordinate Systems used in

Geomatics -GCS

Spherical or Geographic coordinate

system (GCS) is probably the most wellknown.

It uses a three dimensional spherical
surface to define locations on the earth.
A point is referenced by its longitude and
latitude values. Longitude and latitude are
angles measured from the earths center
to a point on the earths surface.
The angles often are measured in
degrees.

Coordinate Systems used in

Geomatics - GCS
Great and Small Circles
A GREAT CIRCLE is a circle on a sphere's
surface whose plane is passing exactly
through the center of the sphere.
In other words, a great circle divides a sphere
into two symmetrical parts.

Coordinate Systems used in

Geomatics -GCS
Great and Small Circles
SMALL CIRCLE - Any circle on a surface of a
sphere which is not a great circle is a SMALL
CIRCLE.
A SMALL CIRCLE is any circle on a surface
of a sphere whose plane is not passing
through the sphere's center.

Coordinate Systems used in

Geomatics -GCS
LATITUDE:
Parallels of Latitude or parallels Small
circles whose plan is parallel to the Equator
Measured in degrees usually, relative to the
Equator

Coordinate Systems used in

Geomatics -GCS
LONGITUDE:
Meridians or line of longitude Arc on a Great
Circle from one pole to another (Half of a
Great Circle)
Prime Meridian arbitrary selected in 1884 as
the meridian who passes through the Royal
Greenwich Observatory in Greenwich,
England

Coordinate Systems used in

Geomatics -GCS

LATITUDE or parallels are measured 90

degrees North and South of the Equator

LONGITUDE or meridians are measured
180 degrees East and West of the Prime
Meridian.

Coordinate Systems used in

Geomatics -GCS

Geodetic latitude and longitude

vs.
Astronomical latitude and longitude

Coordinate Systems used in

Geomatics - Projected

A projected coordinate system is defined

on a flat, two-dimensional surface.
A projected coordinate system is always
based on a geographic coordinate system,
on a projection and on a sphere or
ellipsoid (will be covered later).
It is very easy to work with, fairly accurate
over
small
distances
making
measurements such as length, angle and
area very straightforward.

Coordinate Systems used in

Geomatics - Projected

Coordinate Systems used in

Geomatics - Projected

Coordinate Systems used in

Geomatics - Projected
Projected coordinate system will naturally
have a center from which measurements
can originate, and coordinates are
specified by their linear distance east and
north of that point
These measurements are called eastings
and northings, and are given in some
linear measure, typically meters or feet.

Coordinate Systems used in

Geomatics - Projected
Generally, these coordinates are shifted
by adding some amount to each
coordinate so that they are strictly positive
numbers.
The shifting values are generally called
false eastings and false northings

Coordinate Systems used in

Geomatics - Projected
Easting and
Northing

False Easting
and False Northing

Coordinate Systems used in

Geomatics - Projected
Easting and Northing works all the time?

Conclusions
ECEF (Geocentric) coordinates:
Satellite positioning, including GPS.
3D coordinate transformation between
datums and transformation parameters
determination.

Conclusions
Geographic coordinates:
Widely used in positioning and navigation
Computation of long distances on ellipsoid

Conclusions
Projected coordinates:

Map representations
Short distances computation
Angles determination
Area computation

QUESTIONS ?