2.

1: TOPOGRAPHY, GEOID AND ELLIPSOID

SURFACE
Major tasks of
Geodesy :
determination
size and shape
of the earth

Sphere : close
approximation of
the true figure of
the earth
& satisfactory for
many purposes.

Actual topographic
surface:
variety of
landforms and
water areas.
-Surface on which
actual Earth
measurements are
made

Figure of
The Earth

Not suitable for

mathematical
computations because
:
The formulas would
be required to take
the irregularities into
account

Idea of flat
earth : still
acceptable for
surveys of
small areas
(<10 km)

Small areas:
position can be
determined
relative to each
other without
considering the
size and shape
1
of total Earth.

2.1: TOPOGRAPIC, GEODIC AND ELLIPSOIDAL

SURFACES
A.TOPOGRAPHIC SURFACE
Topography (from Greek topo-, "place", and graphia,
"writing") is the study of Earth's surface shape and
features or those of planets, moons, and asteroids.
The topographic surface is the actual surface of the
earth, upon which geodetic measurements are made.
These measurements are then reduced to the geoid.
(eg: engineering survey, cadastral survey and mapping)
The surface is not uniform and unstable. Covering all
topography area of the land and under the sea .

CONTINUE
The changing features shape and inconsistencies make it
difficult to stated accurately and for calculation.
For a small work area, the curvature factor is negligible
but for a large work area the curvature factor must be
considered in calculation and require global coordinate
system (, ).
Actually, the physical topography approaching of the
ellipsoid shape .. the estimated maximum seperation
between the two surfaces does not exceed 8.5 km in the
same direction + ve or-ve.
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B. GEODIC

SURFACE

GEOID CONCEPT
GEOID
Equipotential
surface of the
Earth's gravity
field;
(approximately)
coincides with
MSL in the open
ocean

could be
considered
corresponding
to the global
mean sea level

surface of
the earth
gravity field

The geoid-ellipsoid
separations are
referred to as geoid
undulation or geoid
heights or geoid
separations.

During the
geoid
surface,
potential ( W)
are the same.

CONT.

In geodetic surveying, computation of

geodetic coordinates of points is performed
on an ellipsoid which closely approximates
the size and shape of the earth in the area of
survey.
The actual measurement made on the surface
of the earth with certain instruments are
referred to the geoid.
Geoid forms a suitable reference surface for
heights because it is based on the field
gravity which governs fluid flow.

..CONT.

.CONTINUE

C. ELLIPSOIDAL SURFACE
Ellipsoidal Reference Systems:
Ellipsoid imagination surface that can be used as a basis
of reference to describe geoid and the topography surface.
Ellipsoid Geometrical figure used in geodesy to most
nearby approximate the shape of the earth is an ellipsoidal
models.
Ellipsoid - GPS heights are referenced to this mathematical
surface.

C. ELLIPSOIDAL SURFACE
KONSEP Ellipsoid

CONTINUE
-Geodetic , mapping and charting purposes :
necessary to use a regular or geometric shape which
approximates the shape of the geoid either on a local or
global scale which has specific mathematical expression.
This shape called the Ellipsoid .
Separations of Geoid and Ellipsoid are called :
i) Geoidal Height
ii) Geoidal Undulation
iii) Geoidal Separations
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.CONTINUE

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C. ELLIPSOIDAL SURFACE
Ellipsoidal Reference Systems:
Reference ellipsoids are usually defined by semi-major
(equatorial radius),a and flattening, f (the relationship between
equatorial and polar radius)
Flattening indicates how closely an ellipsoid approaches a
spherical shape.
The difference between the ellipsoid of revolution representing
the earth and a sphere is very small.
The size is represented by radius at the equator, the semimajor axis and designated by letter, a.
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The shape of the ellipsoid is given by the flattening,f which

indicates how closely an ellipsoid approaches a spherical shape.

ELLIPSOIDAL
HEIGHT AND GEODE SEPARATION

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.CONTINUE
Ketinggian yang merujuk kepada geoid bagi titik P di atas
permukaan topografi dikenali sebagai ketinggian
ortometrik, H atau ketinggian Aras Purata Laut (MSL).
Ketinggian ini diukur sepanjang garis pugak antara
topografi & geoid melalui ukur aras.
Sementara ketinggian yang merujuk kepada permukaan
elipsoid dikenali sebagai ketinggian elipsoid, h.
Ketinggian ini diukur sepanjang garis normal pada
ellipsoid daripada cerapan geodesi satelit.
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.CONTINUE

Jarak pemisahan di antara permukaan elipsoid dan geoid

pula dikenali sebagai ketinggian geoid, N.
Ketinggian Geoid ialah ketinggian di antara permukaan
geoid & permukaan elipsoid diukur sepanjang garis normal
elipsoid.
Ketinggian ortometrik boleh diterbitkan dari ketinggian
elipsoid dan ketinggian geoid dengan menggunakan rumus
berikut:
atau
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.CONTINUE

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