ABSTRACT
This chapter covers the basic mathematical and physical aspects of modeling the size and shape of the earth and its gravity field. Terrestrial and space geodetic measurement techniques are reviewed. Extra attention is paid to the relatively new technique of satellite surveying using the Global Positioning System (GPS). GPS surveying has not only revolutionized the art of navigation, but also brought about an efficient positioning technique for a variety of users, engineers not the least. It is safe to say that any
geometry-based data collecting scheme profits in some sense from the full constellation of 24 GPS satellites. Except for the obvious applications in geodesy, surveying, and photogrammetry, the use of GPS is applied in civil engineering areas such as transportation (truck and emergency vehicle monitoring, intelligent vehicle and highway systems, etc.) and structures (monitoring of deformation of such structures as water dams). Even in areas such as forestry and agriculture (crop yield management), GPS provides the geometric backbone to the (geographic) information systems.
