Author: Rollins, Craig

Source: Survey Review, Volume 42, Number 315, January 2010 , pp. 20-26(7)

Publisher: Maney Publishing

Abstract:

Using a change of variable suggested by P. D. Thomas (1952), the arclength of a segment of a geodesic curve on an ellipsoid becomes an integral having the same form as arclength on an ellipse, a simpler problem. This leads to a succinct theoretical solution to the Direct and Indirect Problems of geodesics. With modern mathematical software, it is also a practical solution.

Keywords: ELLIPSOID; ARC LENGTH; GEODESIC CURVE

Document Type: Research Article

DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.1179/003962609X451663

Affiliations: National Geospatial-Intelligence Agency

Publication date: 2010-01-01

More about this publication?

• Editorial Board
• Information for Authors
• Subscribe to this Title
• Information for Advertisers
• Terms & Conditions
• Top articles
• Materials Science & Engineering Spotlight
• Virtual Maney - Materials Science & Engineering
• ingentaconnect is not responsible for the content or availability of external websites

Related content

• In this: publication
• By this: publisher
• By this author: Rollins, Craig

Website © Publishing Technology. Article copyright remains with the publisher, society or author(s) as specified within the article.

• Terms and conditions
• Privacy policy
• Information for advertisers