Geometric Reference
Systems
Dr. Indika Prasanna
Introduction
Combined information on Geometric Geodesy and
Geodetic Astronomy
Geometrical aspects of terrestrial and celestial reference
systems with realizations of these geodetic coordinate
systems
Adopted by the International Astronomical Union (IAU),
https://www.iau.org and the International Earth
Rotation and Reference Systems Service (IERS),
https://www.iers.org
Introduction
Geodesy is the science of the measurement and mapping
of the Earth’s surface, and being essentially an application
of mathematics it makes use of coordinates and associated
reference systems
The main objective of this course is to study the various
local, regional, and global reference systems that
are in use to describe coordinates of points on the
Earth’s surface or in near space and to relate them
to each other
Introduction
To establish coordinates of points requires that we set up a
coordinate system with origin, orientation, and scale
defined in such a way that all users have access to these
Two fundamental tasks:
to establish an external ("inertial") coordinate system of
our local universe that we assume remains fixed in the
sense of no rotation; and
to establish a coordinate system attached to our
rotating and orbiting Earth, and in so doing to find the
relationship between these two systems.
Course Contents
Topic Sub-topics Objective No. of Hrs. Teaching &
Learning methods
Introduction Preliminary Mathematical To provide the basic 01 Lectures/
Relations mathematical Discussions
background of
Reference Systems and geometric reference
Frames systems based on
physical shape of the
The Earth’s Shape Earth
Coordinate Systems in Ellipsoid and Geodetic To understand the 03 Lectures/
Geodesy Coordinates main geometric Discussions
Basic ellipsoidal terrestrial reference
geometry systems in Geodesy
Differential Geodesy
- Radii of To calculate
curvatures coordinates based on
- Normal Section the reference systems
Azimuth
- Geodesic To transform
Classroom coordinates from one
Assignment - 1 coordinate system to
Direct and Inverse another 01
Problem
Transformation 02 Lectures/Discussions
between Geodetic /CA
and Ellipsoidal
Coordinates
Classroom
Assignment - 2
Course Contents
Astronomic Coordinates 01 Lectures/Discussions/CA
Local Terrestrial Coordinates
Difference between Geodetic
and Astronomic Quantities
Celestial Coordinates 02
Equatorial, Right Ascension
System
Equatorial, Hour Angle
System
Classroom Assignment - 3
Coordinate Transformation 03 Lectures/Discussions/CA
Determination of Astronomic
Coordinates and Azimuths
Classroom Assignment – 4
Course Contents
Terrestrial Reference Horizontal Geodetic Datums To understand the 02 Lectures/Discussions
System concepts of horizontal /CA
International Terrestrial
and vertical datums.
Reference Systems (ITRS) and
Frames (ITRF)
To distinguish local and
Realizations and global datums.
Transformations
Vertical Datums
Classroom Assignment - 5
Celestial Reference System Dynamics of the Pole and To understand the 01 Lectures/Discussions
Equinox concept of celestial
Observational Systematic reference system and its
Effects associated properties.
Relationship to the Terrestrial
Frame
Basic Map Projections Introduction 02 Lectures/Discussions
Cassini, TM and UTM
Projections
Sri Lankan TM Projection
Homework Assignment
Project work and Presentations (Individual/Group) 12 Discussions/Presentatio
ns
Preliminary Mathematical Relations
Spherical coordinates and Spherical Trigonometry
Spherical polar coordinates
Preliminary Mathematical Relations
Spherical triangle
Preliminary Mathematical Relations
Rotations about coordinate axes
The coordinates change according to an
orthogonal transformation:
Preliminary Mathematical Relations
Rotations about coordinate axes
a rotation about the x -axis by the angle, ,
is represented by:
Similarly, a rotation about the y -axis by the angle, , and z -axis by the angle, , are
represented by:
Preliminary Mathematical Relations
Rotations about coordinate axes
Which satisfies the property of orthogonality
The rotations may be applied in sequence and the total rotation thus achieved will always result
in an orthogonal transformation. However, the rotations are not commutative; in general,
Quiz
Show that for small rotations about the x -, y -, and z -axes, by
corresponding small angles, α , β , and γ , the following
approximation holds:
1
R3 ( ) R2 ( ) R1 ( ) 1
1
and that this is independent of the order of the rotation matrices.
Reference Systems and Frames
According to the International Earth Rotation and
Reference Systems Service (IERS)
A Reference System is a set of prescriptions and conventions
together with the modeling required to define at any time a triad
of coordinate axes
A Reference Frame realizes the system by means of
coordinates of definite points that are accessible directly by
occupation or by observation.
The Earth’s Shape
The first approximation to the figure of the Earth is a
sphere – Spherical coordinates
Numerical determination by Eratosthenes (276 – 195
B.C.)
s
R
R 6267km
7 800km
360 C (Circumference of the Earth)
The Earth’s Shape
Ellipsoid & Geoid
Geoid - the equipotential surface of the Earth’s gravity
field that closely approximates mean sea level
