Geodetic Reference Systems Definition of the various Geodetic
Reference Systems and their realizations is not only important
with regard to scientific work, but will also be of major
importance for the practical applications in the fields of
geodesy and navigation if seen against the background of an
ever-increasing use of space geodetic techniques, as e.g. GPS
and the future Galileo System. With the definition of the
reference systems the speed of light, the radius and the
flattening of the earth, a Cartesian coordinate system etc. are
exemplarily defined. The individual reference systems are
realized at the earth’s surface as reference frames through
marked points (survey points) with their coordinates. Global
terrestrial reference systems are Cartesian coordinates having
their origin in the earth’s center of mass and their orientation
aligned with the rotational axis of the earth. The national
coordinate and height systems may constitute local reference
systems with their own reference ellipsoids, geoid mo