Slocum is the author of this reading and this document is a summary of the reading with specific reference to the earths coordinate reference system and ellipsoids.
Chapter 7: Earth and its Coordinate Reference System (Slocum)
Lecture 10
Examples of how located: addresses, zip codes, telephone area codes
Above locate areas rather than points
Graticule: system composed of longitude and latitude (critical for understanding
concepts on map projections)
Earth rotates on axis
Perpendicular to axis = circumference is Equator (divide into northern and
southern hemisphere)
Latitude: same direction as equator
Line of latitude also known as parallels
Sexagesimal system : degrees, minutes and seconds (base unit of 60)
North will have +
South will have –
Longitude: Measures east to west on Prime Meridian
Run north to south from pole to pole
East will have +
West will have –
To use longitude and latitude to locate positions on earths surface, two quantities
must be known:
1. Angular distance from the equator (latitude)
2. Angular distance from the prime meridian (longitude)
Distance and Direction on earths surface: latitude and longitude set up two
relationships = distance and direction
Shortest distance between two points is a straight line (earths surface is arc)
Equator is great circle
Other parallels are small circules (these result when a plan passes through
the earths curved surface but does not intersect the earths centre
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