9/6/2021

GEO270/GLS270

Computation on
Ellipsoid
MUHAMMAD FAIZ BIN PA’SUYA
Department Surveying Science and Geomatic
0197648604

GEO270/GLS270

Computation on Ellipsoid

Normal section
• Normal section is defined by the curve of intersection of the
vertical plane with the ellipsoid

Definition of Geodesic
• Geodesic is defined as the shortest distance between any two points
on the surface of the ellipsoid.
• Geodesics on a sphere are great circle and, on a plane, the geodesic
is a straight line
• On the ellipsoid, the geodesic is a curve having double curvature and
is thus not a plane curve and their geometry is more complicated.

GEO270/GLS270

Computation on Ellipsoid

Normal Section
B-A
B

Normal Section
A A-B

Geodesic

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GEO270/GLS270

Computation on Ellipsoid

BA
s = distance A-B
B
(B , B) A ,  A = Coordinate A
AB B ,  B = Coordinate B
AB = Azimuth A-B
A BA = Azimuth B-A
(A , A)

GEO270/GLS270

Computation on Ellipsoid

GEO270/GLS270

Computation on Ellipsoid

Geodesic divides
angle between 2
normal section a
in the ratio 2:1
2a

2a

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GEO270/GLS270

Computation on Ellipsoid

Direct Geodetic Problem

• To compute the coordinate and azimuth of second point, B
• Given coordinate for starting point , A , the distance and
azimuth to second point ,B
• Desire to compute the coordinate of B and azimuth from the B
to A
Given To compute
1) Coordinate for starting point, A 1) Coordinate of second point, B
2) Distance between the two point 2) Azimuth from second point to
(A-B) first point (B-A)
3) Azimut from first point to
second point (A-B)

A B
X,Y X,Y

GEO270/GLS270

Computation on Ellipsoid

Inverse geodetic problem

• Coordinate of the first and end point of the line , A B
• Desire to compute azimuth from point A to B , and azimuth
from point B to A as well as distance between the two point

Given To compute
1) Coordinate for first,A and 1) Azimuth from first point to second
second point, B point (A-B)
2) Azimuth from second point to first
point (B-A)
3) Distance between the two point

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GEO270/GLS270

Computation on Ellipsoid

• There are many solution to solve the problems (direct or inverse

problem)
• However, the solution usually can be categorized into two categories
depending on their mode of derivation. The two solution are:

a) Normal section formulae

b) Geodesic formulae

• The normal section formulae can be divided into three solution that
are Clarke-Robbins formulae, Puissant formulae and Gauss Mid-
Latitude (GML) formulae
• However, this lecture only discuss the solution using GML formulae

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GEO270/GLS270

Gauss Mid-Latitude formulae

Direct Geodetic Problem

• If we have A,  A, s, AB and parameter of ellipsoid
• Find B,  B, BA

 B   A  
 B   A  
 BA   AB    180o

•  ,  ,   using Gauss Mid-Latitude formulae

• But we need  m & m

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GEO270/GLS270

Gauss Mid-Latitude formulae

s. cos  m
 
M m sin 1"

Values of  ,  ,  s. sin  m
in seconds
 
N m cos  m sin 1"
This formulae is
accurate to 1ppm for    sin  m
lines up to 100km

 .N m cos  m 
 m  tan 1  
  .M M 

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GEO270/GLS270

Gauss Mid-Latitude formulae

Direct Geodetic Problem

• m & m can be calculated using formulae as below:


 m   AB  ? B?
2 So we need
 A  B iteration
m 
2

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GEO270/GLS270

Gauss Mid-Latitude formulae

Direct Geodetic Problem

1. Determine MA & NA  using A

2. Calculate   s. cos  AB
Calculation M A sin 1"
Procedure
s. sin  AB
3. Calculate  
N A cos  A sin 1"

4. Calculate    sin  A

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GEO270/GLS270

Gauss Mid-Latitude formulae

Direct Geodetic Problem


5. Calculate  m   A 
2

6. Calculate  m   AB 
Calculation 2
Procedure 7. Determine Mm & Nm  using m
8. Calculate   s. cos  m
M m sin 1"

s. sin  m
9. Calculate  
N m cos  m sin 1"

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GEO270/GLS270

Gauss Mid-Latitude formulae

Direct Geodetic Problem

10. Calculate    sin  m

11.Redo step 5 – 10, compare new and old
values of  ,  , ;
Calculation
Procedure diff < 0.001”  STOP iteration
12. Then calculate  B   A  
B   A  
 BA   AB    180o

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GEO270/GLS270

GAUSS MID LATITUDE DIRECT PROBLEM

(EXAMPLE.)

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GEO270/GLS270

DIRECT PROBLEM(EXAMPLE)

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GEO270/GLS270

DIRECT PROBLEM(EXAMPLE)

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GEO270/GLS270

DIRECT PROBLEM(EXAMPLE)

Initial Steps

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GEO270/GLS270

DIRECT PROBLEM(EXAMPLE)
Initial Steps

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GEO270/GLS270

DIRECT PROBLEM(EXAMPLE)
Initial Steps

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GEO270/GLS270

DIRECT PROBLEM(EXAMPLE)

Initial Value
(Use for the
first iteration)

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GEO270/GLS270

DIRECT PROBLEM(EXAMPLE)

First Iteration

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GEO270/GLS270

DIRECT PROBLEM(EXAMPLE)
First Iteration

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GEO270/GLS270

DIRECT PROBLEM(EXAMPLE)
First Iteration

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GEO270/GLS270

DIRECT PROBLEM(EXAMPLE)

Second Iteration

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DIRECT PROBLEM(EXAMPLE)

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GEO270/GLS270

DIRECT PROBLEM(EXAMPLE)

• Therefore, the values of φ2, λ2, α2with reference to WGS84

reference ellipsoid using the GML method;

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GEO270/GLS270

Gauss Mid-Latitude formulae

Inverse Geodetic Problem

• If we have A,  A, B,  B and parameter of
ellipsoid
• Determine s, AB, BA
   B   A
   B   A

• s, m,   using Gauss Mid-Latitude

formulae
• No need iteration!

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GEO270/GLS270

Gauss Mid-Latitude formulae

Inverse Geodetic Problem

1. Calculate    B   A
   B   A
Calculation A  B
Procedure 2. Calculate  m 
2
3. Determine Mm & Nm  using m

  .N m cos  m 
4. Calculate  m  tan 1  
  .M m 

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GEO270/GLS270

Gauss Mid-Latitude formulae

Inverse Geodetic Problem

5. Use formulae   or   to calculate s

s. cos  m s. sin  m
   
Calculation M m sin 1" N m cos  m sin 1"
Procedure

 .M m sin 1" .N m cos  m sin 1"

s or s
cos  m sin  m

6. Calculate    sin  m

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GEO270/GLS270

Gauss Mid-Latitude formulae

Inverse Geodetic Problem

7. Calculate    
AB  m   
Calculation  2 
Procedure
8. Calculate  BA   AB    180o

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GEO270/GLS270

GAUSS MID LATITUDE INVERSE PROBLEM

(EXAMPLE.)

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GEO270/GLS270

INVERSE PROBLEM(EXAMPLE)

• Given, the geodetic coordinates of two points,

namely 1 and 2.i.e. φ1, λ1, φ2, λ2with reference to a
reference ellipsoid. To find, azimuths α12, α21 and
distance s12.

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INVERSE PROBLEM(EXAMPLE)

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GEO270/GLS270

THANKS

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