SFR 106 Lecture Notes - Lecture 6: True North, Military Grid Reference System, Universal Transverse Mercator Coordinate System
Document Summary
Geographic location systems or coordinate systems were developed as a tool to describe specific geographic locations and are used for navigation and mapping. Generally, they consist of a grid of imaginary intersecting lines which are used to describe a position on a map. Coordinate systems are based on reference points from which position measurements are made. Latitude/longitude is a global system which precisely identifies locations using the equator as a reference point for latitude and the prime meridian as a reference point for longitude. Latitude lines circle the world parallel with the equator, running in an easterly and westerly direction. These lines are identified by their position either north or south of the equator. The equator is 0 latitude and the north pole (90 n) and south pole (90 s) are both 90 latitude. All other points on earth have latitudes ranging between 0 to 90 north or 0 to 90 south.