Geo::Ellipsoids(3)

NAME
Geo::Ellipsoids - Package for standard Geo:: ellipsoid a, b, f and 1/f values.

SYNOPSIS
  use Geo::Ellipsoids;
  my $obj = Geo::Ellipsoids->new();
  $obj->set('WGS84'); #default
  print "a=", $obj->a, "\n";
  print "b=", $obj->b, "\n";
  print "f=", $obj->f, "\n";
  print "i=", $obj->i, "\n";
  print "e=", $obj->e, "\n";
  print "n=", $obj->n(45), "\n";

DESCRIPTION

CONSTRUCTOR

  new
The new() constructor may be called with any parameter that is appropriate to the set method.

  my $obj = Geo::Ellipsoid->new();

METHODS

  set
Method sets the current ellipsoid. This method is called when the object is constructed (default is WGS84).

  $obj->set(); #default WGS84
  $obj->set('Clarke 1866'); #All built in ellipsoids are stored in meters
  $obj->set({a=>1, b=>1});  #Custom Sphere 1 unit radius

  list
Method returns a list of known elipsoid names.

  my @list=$obj->list;

  my $list=$obj->list;
  while (@$list) {
    print "$_\n";
  }

  a
Method returns the value of the semi-major axis.

  my $a=$obj->a;

  b
Method returns the value of the semi-minor axis.

  my $b=$obj->b;  #b=a(1-f)

  f
Method returns the value of flatting

  my $f=$obj->f;  #f=(a-b)/a

  i
Method returns the value of the inverse flatting

  my $i=$obj->i; #i=1/f=a/(a-b)

  invf
Method synonym for the i method

  my $i=$obj->invf; #i=1/f

  e
Method returns the value of the first eccentricity, e. This is the eccentricity of the earth's elliptical cross-section.

  my $e=$obj->e;

  e2
Method returns the value of eccentricity squared (e.g. e^2). This is not the second eccentricity, e' or e-prime see the "ep" method.

  my $e=sqrt($obj->e2); #e^2 = f(2-f) = 2f-f^2 = 1-b^2/a^2

  ep
Method returns the value of the second eccentricity, e' or e-prime. The second eccentricity is related to the first eccentricity by the equation: 1=(1-e^2)(1+e'^2).

  my $ep=$obj->ep;

  ep2
Method returns the square of value of second eccentricity, e' (e-prime). This is more useful in almost all equations.

  my $ep=sqrt($obj->ep2);  #ep2=(ea/b)^2=e2/(1-e2)=a^2/b^2-1

  n
Method returns the value of n given latitude (degrees). Typically represented by the Greek letter nu, this is the radius of curvature of the ellipsoid perpendicular to the meridian plane. It is also the distance from the point in question to the polar axis, measured perpendicular to the ellipsoid's surface.

  my $n=$obj->n($lat);

Note: Some define a variable n as (a-b)/(a+b) this is not that variable.

Note: It appears that n can also be calculated as

  n=a^2/sqrt(a^2 * cos($lat)^2 + $b^2 * sin($lat)^2);

  n_rad
Method returns the value of n given latitude (radians).

  my $n=$obj->n_rad($lat);

Reference: John P. Snyder, "Map Projections: A Working Manual", USGS, page 25, equation (4-20) http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/usgspubs/pp/pp1395

  rho
rho is the radius of curvature of the earth in the meridian plane.

  my $rho=$obj->rho($lat);

  rho_rad
rho is the radius of curvature of the earth in the meridian plane. Sometimes denoted as R'.

  my $rho=$obj->rho_rad($lat);

Reference: John P. Snyder, "Map Projections: A Working Manual", USGS, page 24, equation (4-18) http://pubs.er.usgs.gov/usgspubs/pp/pp1395

  polar_circumference
Method returns the value of the semi-minor axis times 2*PI.

  my $polar_circumference=$obj->polar_circumference;

  equatorial_circumference
Method returns the value of the semi-major axis times 2*PI.

  my $equatorial_circumference=$obj->equatorial_circumference;

  shortname
Method returns the shortname, which is the hash key, of the current ellipsoid

  my $shortname=$obj->shortname;

  longname
Method returns the long name of the current ellipsoid

  my $longname=$obj->longname;

  data
Method returns a hash reference for the ellipsoid definition data structure.

  my $datastructure=$obj->data;

  name2ref
Method returns a hash reference (e.g. {a=>6378137,i=>298.257223563}) when passed a valid ellipsoid name (e.g. 'WGS84').

  my $ref=$obj->name2ref('WGS84')

TODO
What should we do about bad input? I tend to die in the module which for most situations is fine. I guess you could always overload die to handle exceptions for web based solutions and the like.

Support for ellipsoid aliases in the data structure

BUGS
Please send to the geo-perl email list.

LIMITS
No guarantees that Perl handles all of the double precision calculations in the same manner as Fortran.

AUTHOR
Michael R. Davis qw/perl michaelrdavis com/

LICENSE
Copyright (c) 2006 Michael R. Davis (mrdvt92)

This library is free software; you can redistribute it and/or modify it under the same terms as Perl itself.

SEE ALSO
Geo::Forward Geo::Ellipsoid Geo::Coordinates::UTM Geo::GPS::Data::Ellipsoid GIS::Distance