POLITECNICO DI TORINO

DIATI

Basic concepts of
Reference systems in Geodesy

MARCO PIRAS
 Summary
What is a Reference system?

• Definition of static/dynamic geodetic reference

systems and reference frame;

• cartographic coordinate system;

• the Italian Reference system;

• reference frame (DATUM) transformation;

• Application with GIS software of reference

systems and projected coordinates
 Reference systems
How many students know the
meaning of «reference system»?
A: YES B: NO

Have you never had any problem of

reference system transformation?
A: YES B: NO

Have you never had any problem of

coordinates definitions?
A: YES B: NO
 Reference systems

East = 384777.343m East = 384777.343m

North = 1539033.32m North = 4939033.32m

Latitude = 45.389343°
Longitude = 7.73942773°
 Reference systems
How is possible to represent the Earth surface?
The Earth Surface is very difficult to
be described with analytical equation.
It is very difficult (or practically
impossible) to define angles,
Earth
surface distances, areas, volumes, ect.

IT IS FUNDAMENTAL TO DEFINE A REFERENCE

Geoid
SURFACE!

First hypothesis is to project all “real” points with respect the vertical
direction on a ideal surface. This surface is called GEOID.

We have to accept a more simple model and some initial

conditions.
 GEOID
Geoid: Equipotential surface of gravity force, passing in a
conventional point with known Geoid height.
g  g ( XYZ ) allows a potential = dW  g  dP

 W W W 
g  grad (W )   g X  , gY  , gZ 
 Z 
Z
 X Y

W  costante
constant dW  0  g  dP  0

P is orthogonal to gravity force g


Y

(description with spherical harmonics)

X

Geoid equation is not easily to be solved:

a good approximation for horizontal
solution is a ellipsoid of rotation!
 ELLIPSOID
The equation of the ellipsoid of rotation is:
X 2 Y2 Z2
 2 1
a2 c
Ellipsoid is an equipotential surface of the normal gravity
 U U U 
  grad (U )    X  ,Y  , Z 
 X Y  Z 
Where a and c are respectively the polar semi-axis and equatorial semi-axis
  g  g With g is the gravity anomaly

U is the normal potential and T is the anomalous potential : W = U + T

The normal direction of the ellipsoid is not more coincident with the
vertical direction
Ellipsoids can be:
• with local orientation;
• geocentric
ELLIPSOID
 LOCAL ELLIPSOID
Local ellipsoid: in a conventional point (emission point), the ellipsoid is
tangent to the geoid, constraining:

• N = 0, ε(ξ,η) = 0 or known values.

• locking the azimut to avoid the rotation between the two surfaces.

 Geometrical centre of the Ellipsoid is NOT the mass centre.

 Z-axis is NOT the Earth rotation axis

Local ellipsoid

geoid Global ellipsoid

 GEOCENTRIC ELLIPSOID
Geocentric ellipsoid: geometric centre is the mass centre and Z-axis is
referred to the average of Earth Rotation axis.

 It is MANDATORY for satelllite positioning!!!

Geocentric ellipsoid Meridian

Earth surface
Cartesian axes
 Reference systems
The aim of positioning

To estimate positions of points by the available observations!

Needs
Constraints on the degrees of freedom intrinsic to this problem.

A reference frame is needed

Increasing complexity:
Case 1D, case 2D, case 3D.
 Reference systems
Case 1D

To compute the position of P...

 Reference systems
Case 1D

1 P
x
0

To compute the position of P (xP) the unit of lengths and the origin
are needed.

A reference system is introduced.

 Reference systems
Case 1D

xP P

0 x

A different origin...
 Reference systems
Case 1D

P
0 x
xP
x'P P
0' x'

A different origin implies a different x'P

 Reference systems
Case 1D

xP P
0 x

x'P P
0' x'

t
0' 0 x'-x

t  x ' P  xP  O  O '
 Reference systems
The lesson of the 1D case

Given a RS,
the position of a point is its distance (oriented) from the origin.

The height RS

The origin height has to be imposed:

for example the mean sea level.
 Reference systems
Case 2D: the planimetric problem

Two orthogonal axes,

P
for example E (East) e N (North),
one unit of lengths,
define the Reference System.
 Reference systems
Case 2D: coordinates

The coordinates of a point are its

N
orthogonal projections on the axes.
P
Note
P is the point,

p is the vector between the origin and P,

NP p
P position wrt the axes.

0 EP E
 Reference systems
Case 2D: the effect of an origin change

N E, N e E ', N '
P are 2 RS's
with parallel axes
but different origins.

NP N'P .

0' E'P
0 EP E
 Reference systems
Case 2D: the effect of an origin change

N'
N
P

p p' t is the position of the origin of

the first RS wrt the second:
translation
t
0' E'
0 E
 Reference systems
Case 2D: effect of a rotation of the axes

N
N' P

NP

r
E'

0 EP E
 Reference systems
Case 2D: effect of a rotation of the axes

N
N' P

NP

r
E'
N'P E'P

0 EP E
 Reference systems
Case 2D: effect of a rotation of the axes

N
N' P

NP

r
E'
N'P E'P

0 EP E

p '  Rp,p  RT p '  RT R  RRT  I

 Reference systems
Case 2D
combination of translation and rotation

p '  t  Rp, p  RT (p ' t)  RT p ' RT t  RT p ' t '

Moreover a scale factor should be introduced,

i.e. a ratio between the units of lengths of the 2 RS's.

p'  t  Rp, p  1RT (p' t)  1RT p' t '

 Reference systems
The lesson of the 2D case
Given the unit of lengths,
one origin and one direction are imposed.

One alternative approach

One point is materialized, its position is assigned,
the azimuth angle to another point is assigned.
By properly combined observations
the positions of other points can be estimated.
 Reference systems
3D Reference Systems

Three axes x1, x2 , x3 with common origin,

reciprocally orthogonal, and the unit of

lengths (unitary vectors e1,e2 , e3 ).

The coordinates of a point are the

lengths of its orthogonal projections on
the three axes. The vector between two points is the oriented
difference between their coordinates.
 Reference systems
Position of a point

Vector between two points: baseline

x PQ  (x1Q  x1P )  (x 2Q  x2P ) 2  (x3Q  x3P ) 2

2
 Reference systems
The degrees of
freedom of a 3D
RS
Given the unit of lengths:

one translation of the origin:

3 DOF's.

Two orthogonal direction angles for one axis: 1,2 for x3,
one rotation angle around the same axis: 3.
 Reference systems
A reference system (RS) is a whole of laws and measurements which allows to answer
to the following questions:

Where is my point? When is happened this event?

A Reference system has to contrain all degrees of freedom.

The distintion between RS in the space and in the

time was traditionally divided, but nowadays it has
not more sense, thank to:

- Instruments: the measurements collected by the

modern geodetic instruments are measurements
which depends on the time (Difference of time), for
the electromagnetic signal transmition. After that,
these signals became measurements on metrical
point of view. The definition of the time reference
scale is fundamental.

- Physical nature of our Earth!

 Reference systems
A reference system is a whole of laws and measurements able to fix the
freedom degrees not fixed by real measures.

It must distinguish between “definition” and

“realization” of reference system
When we say “ reference system”, this means
only the DEFINITION, in other words,
description of the theoretical physics and
approximations used to define the coordinate
axis.

Practical REALIZATION of reference system is

called “FRAME”
This is made by a network of known points,
where others observations can be known (i.e.
speed of movements).
31
 Reference system
Z Normal direction to
- Fix and integral to the Earth P
Ellipsoid
h Passing in P
- 4 parameters:
ac
- Geometrics: a, e2 (o c, ) Q 
c a
- Dynamics: w, GM
a2  c2
- Defined considering a reference e 
2

 a
a2
surface (ellipsoid) and its Y
lolcalization: a 
- Geocentric (WGS84); r
- Local (ROMA40, ED50) X
- Vertical component: Geoid ,
Orthometric height(H)

CLARKE (1880) a = 6.378.243 m  = 1/293,5

HAYFORD (1909) a = 6.378.388 m  = 1/297,0

WGS84 (1984) a = 6.378.137 m  = 1/298,257223563

 The motion of the Earth
- Rotation around the sun
- Rotation around its own axis Solid motion
(axis tilt 23° 27’ respect the
eclittic plane)

- motion of the rotation axis:

precession(period 25800 years,
23° 27’ amplitude) and Nutation
(cycle period 18.6 years, 9.2”
amplitude)
- Polar motion: The Earth
oscillates around own axis.
 The motion of the Earth
Solid Motion
 The motion of the Earth
Periodical phenomena

- Ocean’s Tide;
Water distribution oscillation due to the gravitational actraction between
Sun and Moon: from few dm to several m.

- Terrestrial’s tide;
Oscillation of the solid mas distribution due to the gravitational actraction
between Sun and moon: some dm

This phenomenon is not

particular relevant because it
can be modelled, moreover it
is considered the average
position.
 The motion of the Earth
Progressiv phenomenons

The Earth surface is interested by the following phenomena:

- Horizontal motion (tectonic’s plates, 1-3 cm/years),
- Vertical Motion (e.g. Subsidence, which tipically is 2-3 cm/years).

It is not possible
to create a model
and they are
irreversible.

It is not possible
to estimate the
averrage
solution.
 Reference systems
A reference system is realized with:
- Estimation of the coordinates of the network which composes the RS and they
are fundamental points.
- To distribute the points to the community.

There are different RS definition, in

order to consider the different
necessity.
The SR realization depends on the
observations used to estimate the
coordinates.

Different Realizations of RS can

have remarkable differences
between themselves.
 Coordinate’s system
Z
Coordinate’s system P
- Cartesian or Geocentric h
- Geographic ZP
- Eulerian
- Geodetic

  Y
XP
YP

Change of coordinate’s system X

- Reference system definition
 X  ( N  h) cos   cos 
- Coordinates defitionin

- Transformation using simple equations Y  ( N  h) cos   sin 
   
Z  N 1  e 2  h  sin 

 Reference system: condition
Stable (Dynamic)
Network of Permanent station,
which are continuously monitoring
Best Accuracy
Best coherence
Global
They are defined and coherent
over planetary scale, which are
realized with fundamental points
estimated with geodetic methods (
(VLBI, SLR and GPS). These
observation allow to estimate the
coordinates of these points and their
motion during the time.
Static
Vertex have been measured
in a dedicated Survey
Coordinates estimated in a
specific epoch and they can
accomulate remarkable
deformation during the years.
Local
They are defined and coherent
over local scale, (national or
continental). They are realized with:
- Local network of fundamental
points measured with GNSS;
- 3D network (historical value).
 Reference system
Vertical surface reference
system: ellipsoid  geoid
 Vertical deviation
(~10-20”)

Normal of the ellipsoid Vertical direction
or normal to
Geoid
P

Earth
H

P0
h
Geoid
h=H+N N

P”
Ellipsoid P’

N = Geoid ondulation (In Italy from +37 to +52 m )

 Vertical Reference system
Ellipsoid and Geoid
 Reference system: Transformation
The transformation between RS's

Two RS's: I and II ,

with a different origin, different axes orientation and scale factor 

t  [t1 t2 t3]T : coordinates of I origin wrt II ,

R: rotation to bring I axes parallel to II axes.
 Reference system

Given a point P, whose coordinates in I are .

Its coordinates in II are given by the

3D rotation: a matrix [3  3], with only 3 independent angles!

In geodetic framework, R is implemented by the composition of
three planar rotations around the 3 axes.
Reference system
Reference system
Reference system
 Reference system
The order of the three rotations is important:
we adopt the sequence

R1  R2  R3 , i.e. R(r1, r2, r3)  R3 (r3 )R2 (r2 )R1(r1),

R depends on r1, r2, r3:

the whole transformation depends on 7 parameters.

Helmert or similarity transformation.
 Reference system
The final rotation matrix

crj  cos(rj ), srj  sin(rj )

 Reference system
Linearized transformation between RSs
In the case of small rotations ( 1’’) and scale factor near to unity,
the similarity transformation can be linearized.
cos ri  1, sin ri  ri , rirj  0,   1 , rj  0

Counter clockwise rotations!

 HELMERT PARAMETERS

X  X0   1 Rz  R y  X
     Rz   
 Y    Y0    1 R x  Y 
Z    Ry  Rx 1  Z
  R 40  Z 0 WGS  WGS
 Reference system - ITRS
ITRS (International Terrestrial Reference System)
ITRS is defined by:
- Origin of the Cartesian axis in the conventional Earth mass center;
- Z Axis along the Conventional Pole direction (Bureau International de l'Heure 1984);
- X axis as intersection bewteen the reference meridian plane and the Equatorial
plane (Bureau International de l'Heure –BIH 1984);
- Y Axis for a clockwise tern
- No rotation with respect the global Geodynamic;

Global reference system

 ITRS and ITRF

ITRS (International Terrestrial Reference System)

reference system is based on a whole of coordinates
point on the Earth.
It is maintained by IERS (International Earth Rotation
Service).
Its materialization are called ITRF (International
Terrestrial Reference Frame)
Coordinates which compose the reference system are
continuously and periodically calculated. Catalogs are
defined by year (ITRF89 … ITRF2008, ITRF2014).
Coordinates are deduced using integration of different
techniques: VLBI, SLR, GNSS, …
52
 An Example: ITRF2008
ITRF2008 uses the GNSS weekly solution and VLBI session of 24 h and series of Earth
Orientation Parameter (EOPs)
The advantages of the use of time series is to monitoring and modelling the non-linear
motion and possibile discontinuity.
The ITRF2008 origin is practically defined applying a zero translation with respect the
mass centre of the Earth, considering an average value based on a SLR measurement
series of 13 years. Scale factor is equal to 0 with respect the VLBI measurements,
considering a period equal of 26 years.

X Y Z
Error = 0.3 mm/y in the ECEF
position 0.1 mm 0.8 mm 5.8 mm components
velocity 0.2 mm/y 0.1 mm/y 1.8 mm/y

http://itrf.ensg.ign.fr/
 ITRF2008

ITRF is a hybrid RS, which is based on several geodetic techniques: GNSS, VLBI, SLR,
and others. Since 1988, there are 11realizations , which include the position and
velocities of the CORSs

 X   X   T1   D  R3 R2  X
      R  
Y  Y
      T2   3 D  R1  Y 
HELMERT using
 Z   Z  T   
 S    3    R2 R1 D  Z 14 parameters

𝑃 𝑡 = 𝑃 𝑡1 + 𝑃(𝑡𝑛 − 𝑡1)

ITRF2000  ITRF2005:
T1 T2 T3 D R1 R2 R3
mm mm mm 10-9 mas mas mas
0.1 -0.8 -5.8 0.40 0.000 0.000 0.000
+/- 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.05 0.012 0.012 0.012

Rates -0.2 0.1 -1.8 0.08 0.000 0.000 0.000

+/- 0.3 0.3 0.3 0.05 0.012 0.012 0.012
 ITRF2008
• 2005.0
• ITRF2005, epoch 2005.0

http://itrf.ensg.ign.fr/ITRF_solutions/2008/
 ITRF2008

 ITRF 2014
Earth's Moving plates
 ITRF2008
ITRS (and their realizations ITRFyy) are identical to WGS84 with an
error = 1 m.

T1 T2 T3 D R1 R2 R3
m m m ppm (“) (“) (“)
0.1 -0.8 -5.8 0.40 0.000 0.000 0.000

• WGS84 has had three different corrections in three different GPS weeks:
(G730, G873, G1150).

•WGS84 is coincident with ITRF, with a residual error =10 cm.

 IGS system

Global Terrestrial crostal deformation monitoring

(SPGPS coordinates change!!).
It defines in this RS these kind of products:
• Precise ephemeris
• parameter of satellite clock correction
• IONO and TROPO model
• pole motion

The maximum accuracy is obtained using these products, but

considering the same reference system wherein they have been
estimated!

59
 IGS network

http://igscb.jpl.nasa.gov/network/netindex.html
60
IGS network - Europe

61
 IRTF vs IGS

ITRF (it uses different kind of measurements) is not consistent in comparison

with “only GPS” solution.
Using ITRF2000 coordinates and velocity, distortion and inconsistence are included,
which are not easy to be controlled or isolated.
This impedes the bias detection in a network
NB: “only GPS” solution is not better than ITRF solution, but only it is more
auto-consistent!

Since 2000, IGS has made another reference system, called IGS00, for this
reason.

Second version of IGS00 is called IGb00.

This operation fully preserves ITRF2000, but without distortions!

Altamimi, Z. Dong, D. Ray, J.: “Reference Frames: Status and Future

Improvements”.
62 http://www.ngs.noaa.gov/CORS/Articles/igs-refframe.pdf
63
 PZ90 (Parametry Zemli 1990)

•GLONASS satellites,
• so called PE90=Parameters of the Earth 1990
• as the WGS84 , it is a ECEF system

PZ90
parameters:
 PZ90 –WGS84

• relationship PZ90 and WGS84 – ITRF97 was defined by means the

project IGEX-98.
• The relationship is defines as:

• new realization is called PZ90.02 (Since 20/06/2007). GLONASS orbits.

 GTRF (Galileo terrestrial Reference Frame)
• It is the GALILEO’s DATUM
• It is managed by GGSP (Galileo Geodetic Service Provider)
• It is independent to ITRF
• It is composed by 13 Galileo’s station so called GESS (Galileo
Experimental Sensor Station for the GIOVE mission) and 131 IGS CORSs

GTRF Today Future GTRF Configuration

 EUREF project (European Reference Frame)

It is depurated by European tectonic

motion
ETRS is made and its material
realization is ETRS, called by year
(ETRF89 … ETRF2000)

ITRF and ETRF are equal in 1989

(ITRS89=ETRS89).

Parameters and algorithms are

known to pass from ITRF to ETRF
and vice versa.
(Boucher – Altamini)
Network IGM95 is fitted on ETRF89

67
EUREF project (European Reference Frame)
 ERTF2000 vs ITRF 2000
Comparisson of displacement after year

ETRF2000 ITRF2000

X= 4641949.911 4641949.707

Y= 1393045.170 1393045.271

Z= 4133287.190 4133287.343

Vx [m/y]= -.0036 -.0188

Vy [m/y]= -.0004 .0191

Vz [m/y]= .0027 .0131

ITRF2000 – ETRF2000: sensible differences (10-20 cm)

69
ERTF2005 vs ITRF 2005
 National Dynamic network (RDN)
SPGPS Politecnico di Torino

from:
http://www.igmi.org/
 Local RS
ETRS89 in Italy: ETRF89-IGM95

ETRF89 is the realization of the ETRF in the 1989. The new fundamental geodetic
network Italian, monumented and measured by the IGMI and called IGM95, consists of
about 1250 Vertex positioned in all parts of Italy, coordinates are estimated (Adjustment
contrained) and documented in ETRF89.

ETRF89-IGM95 is an extension and a more dense national ETRF89 network.

Problem between ETRS89 and ETRF89-IGM95

ETRS89 represents a dynamic problem, with a static solution.
In Italy there are differences of 20-30 cm in the horizontal components..
Our Country is deforming in ETRF89 definition, few centimeters between the North and
South of the country.
Italian geodetic Network
IGM 95 Network

This project was started in 1991,

and each point has been
measured with GPS receiver.

1 point every 20 km
Points are belong to I, II, III, IV
levels (where was possible)

Geometric levelling (vertex

number 700)

Each point has a associate point.

Precisione: 5 cm
Italian geodetic Network
Italian geodetic Network
Vertical Network

18.000 km
Connected to tide gauge
Along motorway
Italian geodetic Network
Vertical Network
 RS transformation
Planar transformation

Some planar transformations are called elementary if they

preserve the biunivocal relation between the systems,
geometrical properties, as: alignments, parallelism,
similarity, congruence, etc.

Type of # of unknown
group
transformation parameters
Congruent 3
Conformal 4
Affinity Particolar affine 5
General affine 6

Projective Homography 8
RS transformation
VERTO Procedure
 RS transformation
VERTO Procedure

ROMA40 – ED50 422 double points

ROMA40-WGS84 829 double points (on 1230 IGM95)
ED50-WGS84 is realized considering the other 2 transformations
 RS transformation
Grid definition

5° 57’ 08”,4 19° 27’ 08”,4

13° 30’
47° 40’
For each node, f and  is available.

The Grid values have been defined using two

surface , using the algorithm of the
12° 40’
minimun curvature with SURFER 7.0

Regular grid f’ and ’

There are 4 grids (ROMA40 referred to

Greenwich) composed by 153 rows and 109 35° 00’

columns = 16677 values 7’ 30”

5’

ED50 - ROMA40 ED50 - ROMA40 WGS84 - ROMA40 WGS84 - ROMA40

 RS transformation
A bilinear interpolation is made, to calculate the Grid
trasformation of RS

Geoid ondulation N

Grid left  right / down  top WGS84 - ROMA40

WGS84 - ROMA40
Grids are defined as the map with
ED50 - ROMA40
1:50000 scale (676 grids ), torino
ovest 155.gr1 ED50 - ROMA40

Each file has 4 grids (36 values)

Additional grid for geoid ondulation

It is possible to join the grid

 RS transformation
Verto 3 and Verto 4 (RDN)

New geoid model (ITALGEO2005, prec. 5 cm)

RS transformation
Cartlab 3.0
 RS transformation
Convergo

http://www.centrointerregionale-gis.it/CONVERGO/documenti.asp
SOFTWARE
SOFTWARE
 SOFTWARE

Verto 2
Verto GIS (Verto 3)
Traspunto
Cartlab 1.0 (ultima versione 3)
Geotrans (http://earth-info.nga.mil/GandG/geotrans/)
 EUREF TOOL - RS transfomation

https://www.epncb.oma.be/_productsservices/coord_trans/
 EPSG - Coordinate system definition

https://epsg.org/search/by-name
 RS transfomation

PAY ATTENTION TO
THE PRECISION OF
transformation!!