How to Transition to the 2022 National Coordinate System

Without Getting Left Behind

Edward E. Carlson

NOAA, National Geodetic SurveyPacific Region Geodetic Advisor

ed.carlson@noaa.gov

The bottom lineIf you do geospatial work in the United States and its territories, and you work in the National Spatial Reference System, then every product you’ve ever made…

– every survey– every map– every lidar point cloud– every image– every DEM

… WILL have NEW coordinates in 2022.

I will talk about what this means, why it is happening, and how you can prepare.

Role of NSRS• The National Spatial Reference

System is the fundamental geodeticcontrol for the United States. (Latitudes, Longitudes, Heights)

• A geodetic datum is an abstractcoordinate system with a referencesurface (such as sea level) thatserves to provide known locations tobegin surveys and create maps.

• Geodetic control provides a common reference system for establishing coordinates for all geographic dataon geodetic datum.

• All National Spatial Data Infrastructure framework data and users' applicationsdata require geodetic control toaccurately register spatial data.

Who and What• The National Geodetic Survey, the federal agency

responsible for establishing and maintain the positioning framework to support all federal civilian mapping and charting in the United States, is modernizing the National Spatial Reference System (NSRS).

• What does this mean? – All horizontal and vertical datums in the NSRS (NAD 83…),

NAVD88,GUVD04, etc.) will be updated with: • Four (4) new Terrestrial Reference Frames of 2022• North American-Pacific Geopotential Datum of 2022

– New tools, products, services, and methodologies will be developed jointly to support the transition and access to an improved, modernized NSRS.

Why and When• Why?

– The current national datums (NAD 83 and NAVD 88) were established in the 1980s, before GPS technology revolutionized surveying and positioning.

– The current datums have errors exceeding 1 meter. – Modernization of the NSRS is driven by advancements in

technology (GNSS) and is designed to support future growth. “Positioning America for the Future”

• When? By December 31, 2022 • Will it be an immediate or gradual change?

Immediate!!!!!

“Modernizing the NSRS” means…

• Replacing the current horizontal datums (NAD 83)

• Replacing the current vertical datums (NAVD 88….)

• Improving data submission and data access

• Improving online tools

• Updating survey methodologies

These are part of the NSRS*Horizontal Datumsand Geometric Reference Frames

VerticalDatums

Great Lakes Datums

Geoid Models Transformations and Conversions

USSD NGVD 29 IGLD55 GEOID90 NADCON

NAD 27 NAVD 88 IGLD85 GEOID93 VERTCON

NAD 83 PRVD02 ALASKA94

ASVD02 GEOID96 SPCS 27

NMVD03 GEOID99 SPCS 83

GUVD04 GEOID03 UTMs

VIVD09 GEOID06

GEOID09

GEOID12(A,B)

*This not a complete list.

These are not part of the NSRS*

Horizontal Datumsand Geometric Reference Frames

VerticalDatums

Great Lakes Datums

Geoid Models Transformations and Conversions

WGS 84 IHRS OSU91A CORPSCON

ITRF EGM96 Appendix B.6 of DMA TR 8350.2 (WGS 84)

IGS EGM2008 Oregon Coordinate Reference System

The Kansas Regional Coordinate System

*This is not a complete list.

All coordinates and heights will change!

PATRF2022

MATRF2022

NAD 83 (2011/PA11/MA11) epoch 2010.00 2022 Terrestrial Reference FramesHorizontal change at epoch 2022.00(contours in meters)

Approximate Horizontal Change

NAD 83 (2011/PA11/MA11) epoch 2010.00 2022 Terrestrial Reference FramesChange in ellipsoid heights at epoch 2022.00(contours in meters)

Approximate Ellipsoid Height Change

North American Terrestrial Reference Frame of 2022 (NATRF2022)

Pacific Terrestrial Reference Frame of 2022 (PATRF2022)

Caribbean Terrestrial Reference Frame of 2022 (CATRF2022)

Mariana Terrestrial Reference Frame of (MATRF2022)

In 2022, the entire National Spatial Reference System (NSRS) will be modernized and will contain four new reference frames:

Geometric: Out with the old, in with the new

H (GPS-OH)

Earth’sSurface

GPS-OH

H (LMSL)

Errors : ~50 cm average, 100 cm CONUS tilt, 50/70 cm in Hawaii1-2 meters average in Alaska

Problems in Vertical Datums

HNL BENGeoid12A5.894 = 21.090 – (+15.196)m 5.894 = 5.320m (LMSL)Difference ~ 0.574m or 1.87ft

• Replace the Vertical Datum of the USA by 2022 (at today’s funding) with a gravimetric geoid accurate to 1 cm

• Orthometric heights accessed via GNSS accurate to 2 cm

• Three thrusts of project:– Airborne gravity survey of entire

country and its holdings– Long-term monitoring of geoid

change– Partnership surveys

• Working to launch a collaborative effort with the USGS for simultaneous magnetic measurement

Gravity for the Redefinition of the American Vertical Datum (GRAV-D)

Gravity and Heights areinseparably connected

GRAV-D work in PacificEarly February to late June 2019

HS01- 55 data lines13 cross lines22 flights

SS01 - 35 data lines8 cross lines9 flights

Not being donethis year - furlough

Vertical: Out with the old, in with the new

The Old:NAVD 88PRVD 02VIVD09ASVD02NMVD03GUVD04IGLD 85IGSN71GEOID12BDEFLEC12B

The New:The North American-Pacific Geopotential Datum of 2022 (NAPGD2022)• Will include GEOID2022

DEFLEC2022SGRAV2022

OrthometricHeights

NormalOrthometricHeights

DynamicHeights

Gravity

Geoid Heights

Deflections ofthe Vertical

One vertical datum from pole to equator

NOAA/FEMA Coordination

Cooperative Pilot Study (2011):• National Geodetic Survey,• North Carolina Floodplain

Mapping Program,• North Carolina Geodetic

Survey, and • Federal Emergency

Management Agency

Key Outcomes:• Recommendation of FEMA

implementation plan to account for coordinate and height shifts.

• Improved relative positional accuracies and greater understanding of height uncertainties will enhance quality of flood mapping.

Feedback on the New Datums

2017 Geospatial SummitApril 24 to 25, 2017

Kimberly Pettit, FEMA GIS CoordinatorPrepared with Paul Rooney

Ongoing NOAA/FEMA Coordination

https://www.ngs.noaa.gov/geospatial-summit/presentations/fema.shtml

watch online

• Assessment• Preparations to-date• Advantages and challenges• Concerns• Necessary transition tools, products, and services• Outreach priorities

What life will be like in the future

Revolutionize professional surveying• No more need for installing and locating bench marks• Absolute, consistent positioning, anywhere

Vastly improved flood plain mapping• Water flows due to differences in gravity • Critically important in low-lying, flat communities

Impacts on infrastructureAny application requiring precise positioning -- bridges, tunnels, railways, agriculture, navigation -- will be easierand more accurate

Fundamental support for new technologies• “Smart Highways” for autonomous vehicles

Leveling With 2022 Datum

GNSS + Leveling Surveys Post 2022

GNSS-Derived Orthometric Heights

Leveling stations only

Double-run leveling

Test Adjustment Results

BM InputH (m)

Output H (m)

Input Sigma (cm)

Output Sigma (cm)

Hin -Hout(cm)

2003 159.828 159.851 ±3.5 ±2.7 -2.33006 1.430 1.401 ±4.0 ±2.8 +2.9

2002 ΔHGNSS+L 158.450

ΔHleveling 158.456Difference -0.006

What to do with historic maps/charts?

Is the accuracy expected to be

better than a few meters? Stop. You won’t

likely gain much by transforming

Do you have trusted metadata which puts the map/chart in the NSRS?

NoYes

Stop. Transformation tools only work in the NSRS and

only if you trust the metadata

No

Use NCAT to update the datums in 2022

Yes

X, Y, Z

USNG UTM

SPC

φ, λ, h

X, Y, Z

USNG UTM

SPC

φ, λ, h

X, Y

, Z

USN

GU

TM

SPC

φ, λ

, h

USSD

Old Hawaiian, Guam

NAD 83 (1986)

NAD 83 (2011,PA11,MA11)

NAD 83 (NSRS2007)

NAD 83 (FBN)NAD 83 (HARN)

2022

NGS Coordinate Conversion &

Transformation Tool (NCAT)

Coordinate Conversion &Transformation Tools

• NGS Coordinate Conversion and Transformation Tool (NCAT) geodesy.noaa.gov/NCAT/

• VDatum Tool (NCAT plus tidal datums) vdatum.noaa.gov

• Both will run in three modes:– Web services– Browser interactive– Downloadable

www.ngs.noaa.gov/NCAT/

What can everyone do?

• Be aware and help spread the word about upcoming NSRS modernization:– Proactively ask agencies, surveyors, and engineers

about what preparations they are taking to learn about and prepare for the upcoming changes

• Reach out to NGS for support as needed• Lead by example and exercise best metadata

practices

geodesy.noaa.gov

What can everyone do?

USGSImproved 3DEP and other topographical productsMore accurate representation of the physical world in ourelevation (and other georeferenced) products

FEMAMore accurate horizontal and vertical coordinates for NFIPNFIP requires thousands of precise horizontal and vertical measurements of buildings to know where water will flow during floods

USACEConsistency of vertical datums across the country Improved accuracy of GPS derived elevations and a better relationshipbetween geodetic and hydrologic datums to manage levies and waterways

FAA More closely aligns US NAS to global system (WGS 84)Improved horizontal and vertical coordinates for airport obstacles

NGA More closely aligned with WGS 84 and ITRF

In Summary for 2022 Datum

Hawaii DOT Leveling Effort

Oahu Leveling Network

Completed in NGS Data Base

Maui Level Network

In Final Review

Molokai & Lanai Level Network

In Progress

In Final Review

“Accurate” positioning begins with “accurate” coordinates

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GEOGRAPHY WITHOUT GEODESY IS A FELONY

Finally Remember ~

MahaloQuestions ????

Contact Information:Edward E. CarlsonPacific Regional Geodetic AdvisorNational Geodetic SurveyPhone: (808) 725-5255email: ed.carlson@noaa.gov