Why is a Spatial Reference Model (SRM) Needed?
Traditionally the M&S and other communities have not been consistent in the treatment of models of the Earth and related coordinate systems
Consistency is required for joint distributed simulation in order to:
- Achieve a reasonably level playing field, and
- To support meaningful VV&A
A number of different earth reference models (ERMs) are currently employed, and this affects:
- Representation of the environment in simulations & authoritative data bases
- Dynamics formulations, both kinematics and kinetics (movement)
- Acquisition modeling and processing (inter-visibility)
Approximations in coordinate conversion algorithms made to reduce processing time may introduce additional inconsistencies
An SRM is needed to promote lossless and accurate conversions
A nomenclature inconsistency evolves when there is no SRM
- For example, how do these variables relate?
- Altitude, elevation, height, geodetic height, ellipsoidal height, orthometric height, height above sea level, height above mean sea level, terrain height, pressure altitude, temperature altitude, nap of the earth, ...