GPS question

nextstep (1/29/2010)again you are worrying too much, let me try this again

Not much difference!

Ref: North American Datum of 1983
NOAA Professional Paper NOS 2
Charles R. Schwarz, Editor
U.S. Department of Commerce

by:Sam Wormley [email protected] 3/7/97
<HR><CENTER><A name=1.4>1.4 How do I convert between NAD83 and WGS 84?</CENTER>




I think the proposition of doing a "datum shift" between NAD83 and WGS84 is a waste of time. The difference between the two is the philosophy of how an inertial datum should be defined, and is ignored by all but a handful of geodesists that are working at extraordinary levels of accuracy.

The ellipsoid of the World Geodetic System of 1984 is defined by four constants, one being the "bar C sub 20" Normalized Second Degree Zonal Harmonic Coefficient of the Gravitational Potential - the "J2" term is computed. The ellipsoid of the Geodetic Reference System of 1980 is defined by four constants, one being the "J2" Dynamical Form Factor - the "bar C sub 20" term is computed.

Geoid models (EGM96 versus GEOID96) will yield meaningful differences in ellipsoid/geoid separations (vertical) for North America, horizontal positions will not reflect anything beyond micro-fractions of a millimeter at best.

The differences between the semi-minor axes are computational (secondary DEPENDENT) variables based on different definitions of the gravity field. They are called "Derived Geometric Constants." The semi-major axis of the WGS84 ellipsoid is known to an accuracy of plus or minus two meters.

Transformations based on a derived difference of a tenth of a millimeter with an constant's accuracy of two meters is, IMHO, silly.

"Therefore, as long as the preceding is recognized, it can be stated that WGS84 and NAD83 are based on the same ellipsoid."

whats wrong you dont trust your old fishing/surveyor buddy?

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