Analysis of the Influence of the Curvature of the Earth on the Compilation of Topographic Maps
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Topographic maps serve as the main tool for representing the terrain, as well as for planning and implementing various engineering projects. Despite the apparent simplicity of creating maps, there are many factors that can significantly affect their accuracy and reliability. One of these factors is the curvature of the Earth's surface, which is often ignored when making topographic maps, which can lead to significant errors. The purpose of this study is to analyze the influence of the curvature of the Earth's surface on the process of creating topographic maps, as well as to develop a methodology for correctly taking this factor into account when conducting geodetic measurements and compiling cartographic materials. The main objective of this study is to determine the degree of influence of the curvature of the Earth on the accuracy of topographic maps at various scales and distances between measurement points. This article is aimed at a comprehensive study of the influence of the curvature of the earth's surface on the process of creating topographic maps, which is an urgent and important task in the modern world. Methods of projecting and accounting for the error caused by the curvature of the Earth when making maps were considered. In the calculation part of the research work, the height difference was calculated between such cities of the Krasnodar Territory as Krasnodar, Maikop, Armavir, Slavyansk-on-Kuban and Pavlovskaya. As a result of the calculation, it was found that for the Krasnodar Territory, the height difference caused by the curvature of the earth's surface ranges from 300 m to 5 km, and the error that must be taken into account when compiling and reading maps does not exceed 3%. The results of the study can be useful both for specialists in the field of geodesy and cartography, as well as for a wide range of people interested in the accuracy and reliability of geographical data.
Source: Moscow Economic Journal
Authors: Evgeniy Rozhkov, Elizaveta Gaytyan
Institution: Kuban State Agrarian University
Language: English
Subfield: Geography, Planning and Development
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: bronze
OpenAlex ID: W4410076984