GEOGCSWGS

GEOGCSWGS, also known as WGS 84, is a standard geodetic reference system used for global navigation satellite systems such as GPS. It was established by the U.S. Department of Defense and is widely adopted for civilian and military applications. The acronym GEOGCS stands for Geographical Coordinate System, and WGS refers to the World Geodetic System.

WGS 84 defines the Earth as an oblate spheroid, with an equatorial radius of approximately 6,378 kilometers and a polar radius of about 6,357 kilometers. It uses a geocentric coordinate system, with the origin at the Earth's center of mass. The reference ellipsoid is aligned with the Earth's axis of rotation, and the prime meridian is defined by the International Reference Meridian (IRM), which passes through the Greenwich Observatory in London.

The WGS 84 datum is regularly updated to account for the Earth's tectonic movements and other geophysical changes. The most recent update, WGS 84 (G1762), was implemented in 2013. This system is crucial for accurate positioning, navigation, and timing services provided by GPS and other satellite-based systems.

WGS 84 is compatible with other global reference systems, such as the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF), and is used as the standard for geospatial data in various fields, including cartography, surveying, and geographic information systems (GIS). Its widespread adoption ensures consistency and interoperability in global positioning and mapping applications.