azimutální

Azimutální, azimutální, is a Czech term meaning azimuthal. It is used as an adjective to describe things related to azimuth, an angular measurement in a spherical coordinate system. The word derives from azimuth and is formed with the Czech suffix -ální.

In practice the term appears in several fields. In astronomy and navigation, azimutální coordinates describe the position of a celestial or terrestrial object using two angles: azimut, the horizontal angle measured clockwise from a reference direction (usually true north), and elevace or výška nad obzorem, the angle above the horizon. This horizontal coordinate system allows observers to locate objects from a given position on Earth without requiring a global reference frame.

In cartography the concept is central to azimutální projekce (azimuthal projections), a family of map projections in which the sphere is projected onto a plane. Each projection is centered on a point on the globe and preserves certain properties, such as distance (azimutální ekvidistantní), area (lambertova azimutální rovná plocha), or angles (stereografická azimutální projekce) around that center. These projections are used for regional maps, aviation charts, and radio propagation studies.

In surveying and geodesy, azimutální measures refer to the azimuths determined with instruments like the teodolit or total station. Distinctions are often made between magnetic azimuth and geographic azimuth, the latter referenced to true north after correcting for magnetic declination.

Overall, azimutální describes anything related to azimuthal measurements or representations, emphasizing the horizontal angular component relative to a reference direction.