A MODIFIED METHOD FOR DETERMINATION OF SCALE FACTOR OF THE PROJECTED GEODESIC

Abstract

Conformal projection is one of the most important aspects that geodesy dealing with. The
determination of the scale factors in the meridian, the parallel and projected geodesic directions are the
final result of the conformal projection. Methods for determining the scale factors in the meridian and
the parallel directions have a quite sufficient accuracy. While methods for determining the projected
geodesic have different accuracy and computation complicity.
This research adopts a modified method for computing the exact value of scale factor in
geodesic direction. In this method the scale factor is obtained by determining the true and projected
distances of the geodetic line. In the traditional methods for determining the projected distance it is
usual to use the 1/3 Simpson's rule in the computations while the modified method the 3/8 Simpson's
rule is used.
Computations and mathematical tests were carried out to obtain the scale factors using the
traditional methods and comparison was made with modified method.
By applying the developed method and the traditional methods to calculate the scale factor, it was
found that the modified method is more accurate and the projected distances can be obtained exactly.