projection problems

[Gerald I. Evenden]

>From: sjaeger at resdgs2.er.usgs.gov (Stefan Jaeger)
>Subject: Re: projection problems
>Date: Fri, 18 Feb 1994 08:16:33 -0500 (EST)
>
>The official designation is Gauss-Krueger. I don't know if the six degreee
>zones are official or not, but the three degree step is
> the way the system works in Germany.
>
>Stefan J.

An unfortunate name because Gauss-Kruger is also used for designation
of the math method defining the Transverse Mercator---not a system for
usage.  This is like simply using Transverse Mercator rather than UTM
or "Universal" Transverse Mercator.

Perhaps this usage system is restricted to Germany and thus could be
considered the German national plane coordinate system?  From my
understanding, Egypt also uses TM with 3 degree zones but with only
300,000 false eastings.  The Egypt system also uses a central meridian
scale factor of 0.99985 (rather than UTM's 0.996) which is appropriate
for the narrower zones.  The GK uses 1.0 (unappropriate).  What does the
German system use?  Lastly, if the CM's are on 3 degrees, it makes
little sense for the zones to be 6 degrees wide, so I suspect they
are 3 degree zones.

Again, this system and its apparent nomenclature clouds an issue that
is already quite murky.  But because of this murkyness, I am very
picky about sloppy nomenclature.

Gerald (Jerry) I. Evenden   Internet: gie at charon.er.usgs.gov
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