Map projections

Rudi Gens
Alaska Satellite Facility
 Outline

y Relevant terms
y Why map projections?
y Map projection categories
Map projections

x Projection surfaces
x Features preserved from distortions
y Map projection examples
y Right choice

2
 Relevant terms

y parallels of latitude
x lines of equal latitude on the surface of a sphere
y meridian
Map projections

x lines of equal longitude

y grid
x rectangular coordinate system superimposed on a
map
y graticule
x set of parallels and meridians seen on a map

3
 Relevant terms

y scale factor
distance on the projection
x k=
distance on the sphere
Map projections

x describes the distortions as a result of projection

x unrelated to map scale

4
 Why map projections?

y problem of mapping three-dimensional

coordinates related to a particular datum on a
flat surface
Map projections

x maps are two-dimensional

x impossible to convert spheroid into flat plane without
distortions
→ map projections

5
 Cylindrical projections

y cylinder that has its

entire circumference
tangent to the Earth’s
Map projections

surface along a great

circle (e.g. equator)

6
 Conic projections

y cone that is tangent

to the surface along
small circle (e.g.
Map projections

parallel of latitude)

7
 Azimuthal projections
Map projections

y projecting positions directly to a plane tangent

to the Earth’s surface

8
 Equidistant projections

1 kp
Map projections

1
km = 1

Sphere Projection

y scale factor along a meridian is equal to 1

y shape and area of square are distorted

9
 Equal-area projections

1
Map projections

1 kp

km

Sphere Projection

y equal areas are represented by the same map

area regardless of where they occur

10
 Conformal projections
kp

km
Map projections

Sphere Projection

y angles on a conformal map are the same as

measured on the Earth’s surface
y meridians intersect parallels at right angles

11
 Map projections examples

y Cylindrical projections
x Mercator projection
x Transverse Mercator projection
Map projections

x Oblique Mercator projection

y Azimuthal projections
x Lambert Azimuthal Equal-Area projection
x Stereographic (conformal) projection

12
 Map projections examples

y Conic projections
x Conic projection with two standard parallels
x Lambert Conformal Conic projection
Map projections

x Albers Conic Equal-Area projection

13
 Mercator projection

y regular cylindrical projection

y particularly useful for navigation
x course with constant azimuth (compass direction) is
Map projections

straight line
y meridians of longitude
x equally spaced vertical lines
x intersected at right angles by straight horizontal
parallels
y projection parameters
x true scale latitude
x central meridian
14
 Transverse Mercator projection

y conformal cylindrical projection

y central meridian and equator are straight lines
y scale is constant along any meridian
Map projections

y central meridian mapped at true scale

x slightly reduced scale (0.9996) in UTM system

y projection parameters
x central scale
x central meridian
x origin latitude
15
 Oblique Mercator projection
Map projections

y azimuth of central line needs to be specified

y example for this projection: peninsular Malaysia

16
 Stereographic projection
y conformal azimuthal projection
y most commonly used to map polar regions
y polar (pole is center point)
x meridians: straight radii, parallels:concentric circles
Map projections

y oblique (only central meridian straight)

x other meridians/parallels: circular arcs
y projection parameters
x center longitude
x center latitude
x center scale

17
 Lambert Azimuthal Equal-Area
projection
y scale
x true only at center point
x decreases in radial direction away from the center
x perpendicular to radius increases with distance
Map projections

y polar (pole is center point)

x meridians: straight radii, parallels:concentric circles

y oblique (only central meridian straight)

x other meridians/parallels: complex curves

y projection parameters
x center longitude
x center latitude

18
 Conic projections with two
standard parallels
Map projections

y reduce scale factor below 1 between standard parallels

y increase it above 1 outside parallels

19
 Albers Conic Equal-Area projection

y parallels: concentric circular arcs

y meridians: equally spaced
y scale: true along standard parallels, smaller between
Map projections

them, larger outside them

y scale variation along the meridians to maintain equal
area
y projection parameters
x North and South standard parallel
x central meridian
x origin latitude

20
 Lambert Conformal Conic
projection
y parallels: concentric circles
y meridians: equally spaced straight radii of
theses circles
Map projections

y scale: true along standard parallels, smaller

between them, larger outside them
y projection parameters
x North and South standard parallel
x central meridian
x origin latitude

21
 Right choice

y map purpose
x for distribution maps: equal area
x for navigation: projections that show azimuths or
Map projections

angles properly

y size of area
x some projections are better suited for East-West
extent, others for North-South
x for small areas the projection is relatively
unimportant
x for large areas the projection is very important

22
 Right choice

y conic projections for mid-latitudes

x true along some parallel between the poles and
equator
y cylindrical for equatorial regions
Map projections

x true at the equator and distortion increases towards

the poles
y azimuthal for poles
x true only at their center point but distortion is
generally worst at the edges

23