CENG 528

Digital Cartography, Map Projections and Coordinate

Systems

Conversions between
Coordinate Geospatial Systems
Geospatial Reference Systems
By now, we know in this course that in
geomatics several accepted reference
systems exist. The list includes:
Geodetic coordinates (f, l, h)
3-dimensional geocentric Cartesian (X, Y, Z)
Local vertical rectangular (Xl, Yl, Zl)
Map projections (Lambert, Mercator, etc.)
Global Geodetic, Global Cartesian
and Local Rectangular Coordinates
Location of Earth
point P can be
expressed in:
1- Geodetic System
2- Geocentric
Cartesian system
3- Local rectangular
system
4- From a map after
projecting earth’s
surface on a cylinder or
a cone.
Source: Wolf & Dewitt, pp 571-572
 Transformation Sequence
The figure in the previous slide shows that at the top of
the coordinates pyramid are the local coordinates, which
are based on a developable surface (i.e., cone or cylinder)
Those local coordinates can be converted forward to
geodetic f , l and ellipsoidal height h (and back to local
coordinates)
The next conversion takes f and l and h to their
equivalent global geocentric Cartesian X, Y and Z (and
back to geodetic, if needed).
At the bottom of the of the figure is the conversion that
can take the global geocentric Cartesian X, Y and Z to a
local vertical coordinates Xl, Yl and Zl (and back to
geodetic, if needed).

Source: Wolf & Dewitt, pp 571-572

Transformation Sequence
Through the mathematics of coordinate transformation, it is
possible to convert from one coordinate system to another.
Notice that all arrows are double-headed. Meaning that
transformation can go both ways (forward and inverse).
Usually values of coordinates in the aforementioned systems
may have as many as 10 or11 significant figures. Calculators
having10 figures are not sufficient to perform these
transformation calculations. Even computer solutions need to
be programmed using double-precision variables or solved
with a spreadsheet having at least 12 to 16 significant figures.
Specialized commercial software use suitable level of
precision, but even those, their results should also be verified.
Conversion between Geodetic &
Geocentric Coordinates
Conversion between geodetic
flh and geocentric XYZ is a
three-dimensional process.
Since geodetic coordinates are
related to the reference surface
used, certain ellipsoid constants
(a, e2, and e'2) are required in
order to achieve the conversion.
To convert a position expressed
in geodetic coordinates to The Figure illustrates the
geocentric coordinates relationship between the two
systems.

Source: Wolf & Dewitt, pp 571-572

Conversion between Geodetic
& Geocentric Coordinates
To convert a position expressed in geodetic coordinates to
geocentric coordinates, the following are the equations:
X = (N + h) cos f cos l
See Example F-1, wolf
Y = (N + h) cos f sin l and Dewitt, Elements
Z = [N(l - e2) + h] sinf of Photogrammetry, 3rd
N = a/(1- e2 sin2 f)1/2 Edition, pp 572
f = tan-1 (Y/X),
b = tan-1 [Z/{(1-f)(X2+Y2)}]
b = tan-1/[(1-f) tan f]
h = [(X2+Y2)/cos f]-N
Source: Wolf & Dewitt, pp 571-572
Geocentric to Local Vertical
Geocentric and local vertical
coordinates are both three-
dimensional Cartesian
coordinate systems.
The process is nothing but 3-
D conformal coordinate
transformation without the
scaling step.
In other words, the steps
required to convert between
these systems involve only
rotations and translations. Source: Wolf & Dewitt, pp 573-577
Geocentric to Local Vertical
See solved example,
Appendix F, pp 577,
Wolf and Dewitt

Source: Wolf & Dewitt, pp 573-577

Next Lecture and Reading
Assignment
Next Lecture will be about conversion from
Geodetic to both Lambert and Mercator projections.

Read Chapter 5 of Wolf & Dewitt “ Elements of

Photogrammetry” 3rd Edition, pp 109-124 (will be
posted at a handout on Ms-Teams soon)
Read Appendix F, of Wolf & Dewitt “ Elements of
Photogrammetry” 3rd Edition, pp 569-589 (this was
posted as a handout on the course page of MS-
Teams).