The Reference Ellipsoid and the Computation of the Geodetic Position:
Position: Properties of the Ellipsoid
Radii Radii of of Curvature Curvature on the Ellipsoid and and Radii Radii of of Spherical Spherical Approximation Approximation of of the the Earth Earth
Lecture No. 8
Department of Geodetic Engineering
University of the Philippines
a.s. caparas/06
Normal Sections on the Ellipsoid
• Consider first a normal to the surface of the ellipsoid at some point. • A particular plane will cut the surface of the ellipsoid forming a curve which is known as the normal section. • At each point there exist an infinite number of normal section as there exist an infinite number planes that that contain the normal line. • However, at each point, there exist two mutually perpendicular normal sections whose curvature will be maximum and minimum. • These normal sections is called the principal normal sections. The Reference Ellipsoid and the Lecture 8 GE 161 – Geometric Geodesy Computation of the Geodetic Position: Properties of the Ellipsoid
1 Principal Normal Sections On the ellipsoid the two principal normal sections Meridional Normal Section are: 1.The Meridian or Meridional Normal Section – a plane passing through the point and the two poles. 2.The Prime Vertical Normal Section – a plane passing through the point Prime Vertical and perpendicular to the Normal Section
meridian at that point.
The Reference Ellipsoid and the Lecture 8 GE 161 – Geometric Geodesy Computation of the Geodetic Position: Properties of the Ellipsoid
Radii of Curvature of a Normal
Sections In order to find the radius of curvature of any normal section at any arbitrary direction, we may utilize the Euler’s formula:
1 cos2 θ sin2 θ = + ρ ρ1 ρ2 where: ρ= is the radius of curvature of the section (any arbitrary section) θ= is the angle measured from the meridian of the point ρ1=is the radius of curvature of the principal normal section with the maximum curvature ρ2=is the radius of curvature of the principal normal section with the manimum curvature
The Reference Ellipsoid and the
Lecture 8 GE 161 – Geometric Geodesy Computation of the Geodetic Position: Properties of the Ellipsoid
2 Radius of Curvature of the Principal Normal Sections • Meridional Radius of Curvature, M:
a (1 − e 2 ) M= 3 (1 − e 2 sin 2 ϕ) 2
at the equator: Mϕ=0 = a(1− e2 ) = a(1− f )2 at the poles: a (1 − e 2 ) a a M ϕ=90 = = = 3 1 (1 − f ) (1 − e ) 2 2 (1 − e )2 2
The Reference Ellipsoid and the
Lecture 8 GE 161 – Geometric Geodesy Computation of the Geodetic Position: Properties of the Ellipsoid
Radius of Curvature of the Principal
Normal Sections • If the values of the M were tabulated, they could be plotted with respect to an origin at the surface of the reference ellipsoid. • The endpoints of the various M values would fall on a curve known as ∆2 ∆1 the locus of the centers of locus of the centers of the curvature of the meridional radius of the meridian curvature.
The Reference Ellipsoid and the
Lecture 8 GE 161 – Geometric Geodesy Computation of the Geodetic Position: Properties of the Ellipsoid
3 Radius of Curvature of the Principal Normal Sections • Prime Vertical Radius of Curvature p=Ncosφ a N= 1 φ
(1− e sin ϕ) 2 2 2
At the equator: Nφ=0=a At the poles: a p N ϕ=90 = (1 − f ) The Reference Ellipsoid and the Lecture 8 GE 161 – Geometric Geodesy Computation of the Geodetic Position: Properties of the Ellipsoid
Comparing M and N… • We can see that M and N are minimum at points on the equator. • At the poles M and N are equal with value equal to a/(1-f). • If we take the ration of M and N, we will find that: N (1− e2 sin2 ϕ) = M (1− e2 ) • Thus, N≥M where equality holds at the poles. The Reference Ellipsoid and the Lecture 8 GE 161 – Geometric Geodesy Computation of the Geodetic Position: Properties of the Ellipsoid
4 Radius of Curvature of the normal section at any given azimuth • using Euler’s formula we can determine the radius of curvature letting θ=α=azimuth of the normal section from the north, ρ1=N and ρ2=M by: 1 sin2 α cos2 α = + Rα N M
MN Rα = N cos α + M sin2 α 2
The Reference Ellipsoid and the
Lecture 8 GE 161 – Geometric Geodesy Computation of the Geodetic Position: Properties of the Ellipsoid
Gaussian Mean Radius of Curvature of
Normal Sections at a point • The Gaussian Mean Radius R of all the radii of curvature of all the normal section containing the normal line is given by:
R = MN • The value of R is helpful when a radius of a sphere that is to approximate the ellipsoid is required.
The Reference Ellipsoid and the
Lecture 8 GE 161 – Geometric Geodesy Computation of the Geodetic Position: Properties of the Ellipsoid
5 Example Problem Solving for N: a Problem: N= 1
Compute for the radii of curvature of (1 − e 2 sin 2 ϕ) 2
the two principal normal sections 6378206 N= and the Gaussian Mean radius of 1
curvature at the point whose (1 − 0.006768628177 sin 2 45o ) 2
geodetic latitude is 45°N on the N = 6,389,026.399 m Clarke Spheroid of 1866.
Solution: Solving for M:
a(1 − e 2 ) Given: M= 3
φ=45°N (1 − e 2 sin 2 ϕ ) 2 f=1/294.98 6378206 (1 − 0.0067686281 77 ) M= 3 a=6,378,206 m (1 − 0.0067862817 7 sin 2 45 o ) 2 e2=0.006768628177 Find: N, M, and R M = 6,367,330.501 m Solving for R: R = MN = (6367330.501)(6389026.399
R = 6,378,169.225 m The Reference Ellipsoid and the Lecture 8 GE 161 – Geometric Geodesy Computation of the Geodetic Position: Properties of the Ellipsoid
Earth as a Sphere • Since the computation of some quantities on the surface of the ellipsoid is sometimes too complex to handle, geodesists uses the sphere as a model. • This reduces the complexity of deriving formulas and evaluating quantities. • In order for us to use a sphere as a reference model, we need to find a sphere which is equivalent to the reference ellipsoid that we are using
The Reference Ellipsoid and the
Lecture 8 GE 161 – Geometric Geodesy Computation of the Geodetic Position: Properties of the Ellipsoid
6 Earth as a Sphere • There are several way of finding a sphere equivalent to the reference ellipsoid: 1. Equal surface area 2. Equal volume 3. Ellipsoid’s mean radius - Gaussian - Mean of the three semi-axes
The Reference Ellipsoid and the
Lecture 8 GE 161 – Geometric Geodesy Computation of the Geodetic Position: Properties of the Ellipsoid
Radii Approximation to the Earth or Mean Radius of the
Earth as a Sphere
A suitable radius may be defined by equating
the expressions of the quantities being compared: 1. Spherical radius having the same area s the ellipsoid
1 17 4 67 6 R A = a 1 − e2 − e − e .... 6 360 3024 2. Spherical radius having the same Volume as the ellipsoid
R v = 3 a 2b The Reference Ellipsoid and the Lecture 8 GE 161 – Geometric Geodesy Computation of the Geodetic Position: Properties of the Ellipsoid
7 Radii Approximation to the Earth or Mean Radius of the Earth as a Sphere
3. Spherical radius having the mean radius of
the three semi-axes of the ellipsoid
(a + a + b) Rm = 3 4. Gaussian mean radius as the radius of the sphere
R= MN The Reference Ellipsoid and the Lecture 8 GE 161 – Geometric Geodesy Computation of the Geodetic Position: Properties of the Ellipsoid
Example Problem Problem: Solving for Rm: What are the radii of the (a + a + b ) equivalent spheres of the Rm = 3 Clarke Spheroid of 1866. Rm = (6378206 + 6378206 + 6356583.497) 3 Solution: R m = 6,370,998.499 m Given: Solving for RA: 1 17 4 67 6 f=1/294.98 R A = a 1 − e 2 − e − e .... 6 360 3024 a=6,378,206 m R A = 6,370,996.873 m e2=0.006768628177 Solving for Rv: Find: Rm, RA, and RV R v = 3 a 2 b = 3 (6378206) 2 (6356583.497) R v = 6,370,990.339 m The Reference Ellipsoid and the Lecture 8 GE 161 – Geometric Geodesy Computation of the Geodetic Position: Properties of the Ellipsoid
