GI|CE|IITK

Assignment: 2 Geometric Reference

Systems
30/08/2014


1
CE678A: Introduction to
Geodesy
Shrey Agarwal (11695)








Abstract
The assignment deals with the theory of Geometric Reference Systems. The assignment has
two questions needing MatLab codes to compute geometric coordinates. This assignment
asks to find the coordinates given one point coordinates and coordinate transformations
from one system to another.

Assignment: 2 Geometric
Reference Systems
Submission Date 30
th
August 2014
Assignment Number 2
Assignment Title Geometric Reference Systems
Student Name Shrey Agarwal
Student Roll Number 11695

Evaluation Remarks


Evaluators Name

GI|CE|IITK
Assignment: 2 Geometric Reference
Systems
30/08/2014


2
CE678A: Introduction to
Geodesy
Shrey Agarwal (11695)




Objectives
- To learn about different Geometric Reference Frames.
- Code to transform coordinates from one to the other system.
- To find coordinates of a point given the coordinates and distance of first point.
Introduction
A geographic coordinate system is a coordinate system that enables every location on the
Earth to be specified by a set of numbers or letters. The coordinates are often chosen such that
one of the numbers represents vertical position, and two or three of the numbers represent
horizontal position. A common choice of coordinates is latitude, longitude and elevation.
The "latitude" ( or phi) of a point on the Earth's surface is the angle between the equatorial
plane and the straight line that passes through that point and is normal to the surface of a
reference ellipsoid which approximates the shape of the Earth.
The "longitude" ( or lambda) of a point on the Earth's surface is the angle east or west from a
reference meridian to another meridian that passes through that point. All meridians are halves
of great ellipses (often improperly called great circles), which converge at the north and south
poles.
To completely specify a location of a topographical feature on, in, or above the Earth, one has to
also specify the vertical distance from the centre of the Earth, or from the surface of the Earth.
Because of the ambiguity of "surface" and "vertical", it is more commonly expressed relative to a
precisely defined vertical datum which holds fixed some known point.

Figure 1: Ellipsoidal Coordinate System

GI|CE|IITK
Assignment: 2 Geometric Reference
Systems
30/08/2014


3
CE678A: Introduction to
Geodesy
Shrey Agarwal (11695)




Figure 2: Natural/Astronomical Coordinate System

Software used
MatLab
Procedure
- Given the geodetic coordinates of a point on the ellipsoid, the geodesic azimuth to a
second point, and the geodesic distance between the points, find the geodetic
coordinates of the second point, as well as the back-azimuth (azimuth of the first point
at the second point):
For the computation we use a Taylor series expansion of latitude, longitude and azimuth.

For the final computations we use the following equations:

N: Prime Vertical Radius of Curvature
S12: Distance between the two points.




GI|CE|IITK
Assignment: 2 Geometric Reference
Systems
30/08/2014


4
CE678A: Introduction to
Geodesy
Shrey Agarwal (11695)







- Transformation of Ellipsoidal Coordinates to Cartesian Coordinates:

- Transformation of Ellipsoidal Coordinates to Astronomical Coordinates:

| q
|
cos
|
|
.
|

\
|
A =
u =
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
.
|

\
|
|
|
|
|
|
.
|

\
|
+ +
+
+
=
|
|
|
|
sin
2
1
sin cos
cos cos

to according
computed are , z) y, (x, , s coordinate Cartesian the refer, y which the to
ellipsoid the and h), , , ( s coordinate geodetic given , summary In
h e N
h N
h N
z
y
x

GI|CE|IITK
Assignment: 2 Geometric Reference
Systems
30/08/2014


5
CE678A: Introduction to
Geodesy
Shrey Agarwal (11695)



Observations and Calculations
- Answer 1: Q[f: 252328, l: 811716], a: 2532850
- Answer 2: x: 595586.257m, y: 4862353.428m, z: 4085390.029m
- Answer 2: : 400100, : 830100, h: 470.12m
References
- Geometric Reference Systems (Jekeli, 2012)
- http://www.ordnancesurvey.co.uk/oswebsite/gps/docs/A_Guide_to_Coordi
nate_Systems_in_Great_Britain.pdf
- http://www.doogal.co.uk/LatLong.php