The World Geodetic System is a standard for use in cartography, geodesy, and navigation. It comprises a standard coordinate frame for the Earth, a standard spheroidal reference surface (the datum or reference ellipsoid) for raw altitude data, and a gravitational equipotential surface (the geoid) that defines the nominal sea level.
The latest revision is WGS 84 (dating from 1984 and last revised in 2004), which was valid up to about 2010. Earlier schemes included WGS 72, WGS 66, and WGS 60. WGS 84 is the reference coordinate system used by the Global Positioning System.
Read more about World Geodetic System: Main Parameters, History, The United States Department of Defense World Geodetic System 1966, The United States Department of Defense World Geodetic System 1972, A New World Geodetic System: WGS 84
Famous quotes containing the words world and/or system:
“Whoever is still seeking for miracles so that he may believe is himself a wonder, who does not believe while the world around him does.”
—St. Augustine (354–430)
“... the yearly expenses of the existing religious system ... exceed in these United States twenty millions of dollars. Twenty millions! For teaching what? Things unseen and causes unknown!... Twenty millions would more than suffice to make us wise; and alas! do they not more than suffice to make us foolish?”
—Frances Wright (1795–1852)