Unit 13 Geoid and Reference Ellipsoid(大地水准面和参考椭球) The Earth‟s physical surface is a reality upon which the surveying observations are made and points are located
(地球物理表面【或者说,地球自然表面】是一个实体,测量工作【observation 观测】在其上进行,点位在其上进行定位
) However, due to its variable topographic surface and overall shape, it cannot be defined mathematically and so position cannot be computed on its surface
(然而,由于【due to】它的起伏不定的【variable 可变的、不定的,这里按中文习惯译为起伏不定的】地形表面和总的【overall】形状,它不能被数学的定义,因此点位也不能在其上进行计算
) It is for this reason that in surveys of limited extent, the Earth is treated as flat and plane trigonometry used to define position
(正是因为这个原因,在有限范围内的测量中,地球被当成平的,并用平面三角学【trigonometry三角学】来确定位置
) If the area under consideration is of limited extent, orthogonal projection of this area onto a plane surface may result in neg