Transformation from geocentric to geodetic coordinates using Newton's iteration

Summary A new procedure for the transformation from geocentric to geodetic coordinates is introduced and analyzed. This new procedure which contains only one trigonometric function uses the Newton's iteration to solve the root of a non-linear equation. Compared with the well-known Bowring's iterative algorithm which uses a number of trigonometric functions, the new procedure is more efficient in computation. Numeric examples are used to test the two algorithms and the results show that the new procedure converges just as well as Bowring's algorithm but requires less time for completion.     

Computing geodetic coordinates from geocentric coordinates

A closed-form algebraic method to transform geocentric coordinates to geodetic coordinates has previously been proposed. The validity domain of latitude and height formulae in the vicinity of the Earths core is specified. A new expression of longitude is proposed, excluding indetermination and sensitivity to round-off error around the ±180 degrees longitude discontinuity.     

A note on frame transformations with applications to geodetic datums

Rigorous equations in compact symbolic matrix notation are introduced to transform coordinates and velocities between ITRF frames and modern GPS-based geocentric geodetic datums. The theory is general but, after neglecting higher than second-order terms, it is shown that the equations revert to the formulation currently applied in most major continental datums. We discuss several examples: the North American Datum of 1983 (NAD83), the European Terrestrial Reference System of 1989 (ETRS89), the Geodetic Datum of Australia of 1994 (GDA94), and the South American Geocentric Reference System (SIRGAS). Electronic Publication     

Direct transformation from geocentric coordinates to geodetic coordinates

 The transformation from geocentric coordinates to geodetic coordinates is usually carried out by iteration. A closed-form algebraic method is proposed, valid at any point on the globe and in space, including the poles, regardless of the value of the ellipsoid's eccentricity. Received: 14 August 2000 / Accepted: 26 June 2002     

图件更新北京54和西安80坐标系转换方法研究

本文结合国土资源调查图件更新北京54和西安80坐标系转换的具体特点,对各种坐标转换模型进行了分析,研究了一种实用的坐标转换模型。在此基础上编制了适用于国土资源调查中图件更新北京54和西安80坐标系转换特定用途的坐标转换软件,利用实际资料对软件进行了测试分析,测试结果表明,这种实用的坐标转换方法可以满足国土资源调查对坐标转换精度的要求。     

Fast transform from geocentric to geodetic coordinates

 A new iterative procedure to transform geocentric rectangular coordinates to geodetic coordinates is derived. The procedure solves a modification of Borkowski's quartic equation by the Newton method from a set of stable starters. The new method runs a little faster than the single application of Bowring's formula, which has been known as the most efficient procedure. The new method is sufficiently precise because the resulting relative error is less than 10⁻¹⁵, and this method is stable in the sense that the iteration converges for all coordinates including the near-geocenter region where Bowring's iterative method diverges and the near-polar axis region where Borkowski's non-iterative method suffers a loss of precision. Received: 13 November 1998 / Accepted: 27 August 1999     

Accurate algorithms to transform geocentric to geodetic coordinates

The problem of the transformation is reduced to solving of the equation $$2 sin (\psi - \Omega ) = c sin 2 \psi ,$$ where Ω = arctg[bz/(ar)], c = (a²?b²)/[(ar)²]^1/2 a andb are the semi-axes of the reference ellisoid, andz andr are the polar and equatorial, respectively, components of the position vector in the Cartesian system of coordinates. Then, the geodetic latitude is found as ?=arctg [(a/b tg ψ)], and the height above the ellipsoid as h = (r?a cos ψ)cos ψ + (z?b sin ψ)sin ψ. Two accurate closed solutions are proposed of which one is approximative in nature and the other is exact. They are shown to be superior to others, found in literature and in practice, in both or either accuracy and/or simplicity.     

Cartesian to geodetic coordinates conversion on a triaxial ellipsoid

A new method of transforming Cartesian to geodetic (or planetographic) coordinates on a triaxial ellipsoid is presented. The method is based on simple reasoning coming from essentials of vector calculus. The reasoning results in solving a nonlinear system of equations for coordinates of the point being the projection of a point located outside or inside a triaxial ellipsoid along the normal to the ellipsoid. The presented method has been compared to a vector method of Feltens (J Geod 83:129–137, 2009) who claims that no other methods are available in the literature. Generally, our method turns out to be more accurate, faster and applicable to celestial bodies characterized by different geometric parameters. The presented method also fits to the classical problem of converting Cartesian to geodetic coordinates on the ellipsoid of revolution.     

An analytical method to transform geocentric into geodetic coordinates

A closed-form analytical method needing no approximation and deduced from a single quartic equation is offered to transform geocentric into geodetic coordinates. It is valid at any point inside and outside the Earth including the polar axis, the equatorial plane and the Earth’s center. Comparison with the method of extrema with constraints to obtain this quartic equation is made.     

Is Newton's iteration faster than simple iteration for transformation between geocentric and geodetic coordinates?

Summary Two iterative algorithms for transformation from geocentric to geodetic coordinates are compared for numerical efficiency: the well known Bowring's algorithm of 1976, which employs the method of simple iteration, and the recent (1989) algorithm by Borkowski, which employs the Newton-Raphson method. The results of numerical tests suggest that the simple iteration method implemented in Bowring's algorithm executes approximately 30% faster than the Newton-Raphson method implemented in Borkowski's algorithm. Only two iterations of each algorithm are considered. Two iterations are sufficient to produce coordinates accurate to the comparable level of 1E-9 m, which exceeds the requirements of any practical application. Therefore, in the class of iterative methods, the classical Bowring's algorithm should be the method of choice.     

Separation between reference surfaces of selected vertical datums

This paper discusses the separation between the reference surface of several vertical datums and the geoid. The data used includes a set of Doppler positioned stations, transformation parameters to convert the Doppler positions to ITRF90, and a potential coefficient model composed of the JGM-2 (NASA model) from degree 2 to 70 plus the OSU91A model from degree 71 to 360. The basic method of analysis is the comparison of a geometric geoid undulation derived from an ellipsoidal height and an orthometric height with the undulation computed from the potential coefficient model The mean difference can imply a bias of the datum reference surface with respect to the geoid. Vertical datums in the following countries were considered: England, Germany, United States, and Australia. The following numbers represent the bias values of each datum after adopting an equatorial radius of 6378136.3m: England (-87 cm), Germany (4 cm), United States (NGVD29 (-26 cm)), NAVD88 (-72 cm), Australia AHD (mainland, -68 cm); AHD (Tasmania, -98 cm). A negative sign indicates the datum reference surface is below the geoid. The 91 cm difference between the datums in England and Germany has been independently estimated as 80 cm. The 30 cm difference between AHD (mainland) and AHD (Tasmania) has been independently estimated as 40 cm. These bias values have been estimated from data where the geometric/ gravimetric geoid undulation difference standard deviation, at one station, is typically ±100 cm, although the mean difference is determined more accurately.The results of this paper can be improved and expanded with more accurate geocentric station positions, more accurate and consistent heights with respect to the local vertical datum, and a more accurate gravity field for the Earth. The ideas developed here provide insight on the determination of a world height system.     

An alternative algebraic algorithm to transform Cartesian to geodetic coordinates

The algorithm to transform from 3D Cartesian to geodetic coordinates is obtained by solving the equation of the Lagrange parameter. Numerical experiments show that geodetic height can be recovered to 0.5 mm precision over the range from −6×10⁶ to 10¹⁰ m. Electronic Supplementary Material: Supplementary material is available in the online version of this article at     

A non-iterative and non-singular perturbation solution for transforming Cartesian to geodetic coordinates

The Cartesian-to-Geodetic coordinate transformation is re-cast as a minimization algorithm for the height of the Satellite above the reference Earth surface. Optimal necessary conditions are obtained that fix the satellite ground track vector components in the Earth surface. The introduction of an artificial perturbation variable yields a rapidly converging second order power series solution. The initial starting guess for the solution provides 3–4 digits of precision. Convergence of the perturbation series expansion is accelerated by replacing the series solution with a Padé approximation. For satellites with heights < 30,000 km the second-order expansions yields ~mm satellite geodetic height errors and ~10⁻¹² rad errors for the geodetic latitude. No quartic or cubic solutions are required: the algorithm is both non-iterative and non-singular. Only two square root and two arc-tan calculations are required for the entire transformation. The proposed algorithm has been measured to be ~41% faster than the celebrated Bowring method. Several numerical examples are provided to demonstrate the effectiveness of the new algorithm.     

Iterative vector methods for computing geodetic latitude and height from rectangular coordinates

 Two iterative vector methods for computing geodetic coordinates (φ, h) from rectangular coordinates (x, y, z) are presented. The methods are conceptually simple, work without modification at any latitude and are easy to program. Geodetic latitude and height can be calculated to acceptable precision in one iteration over the height range from −10⁶ to +10⁹ m. Received: 13 December 2000 / Accepted: 13 July 2001     

Conversion of geodetic coordinates from National Geodetic Reference Systems into Standard Earth System

The method of converting geodetic coordinates from a national geodetic reference system into the standard Earth on having known the geodetic coordinates of at least one station in common with the considered systems, is described in detail; the orientation of the Standard Earth at the initial station of the national geodetic reference system, is also determined side by side. For illustration, use has been made of the known coordinates of the Baker-Nunn station at Naini Tal, in India, being in common with the Indian Everest Spheroid and the Smithsonian Institution Standard Earth C₇ system (Veis, 1967). The method advocated is likely to be more precise than the existing ones as it does not assume the parallelism of axes of reference between the Standard Earth and the national geodetic reference systems which may not necessarily hold good in actual practice.