geodeesia

Geodeesia is the scientific discipline concerned with measuring and representing the size, shape, orientation and gravity field of the Earth, and with determining precise positions on its surface. The field combines geometry, geophysics, astronomy and surveying to establish reference frames and models used for mapping, navigation, engineering and Earth science research.

Historically rooted in ancient efforts to estimate the Earth’s dimensions, geodeesia developed formal methods such as triangulation and leveling in the 18th and 19th centuries. The 20th century introduced satellite and space-based techniques—most notably global navigation satellite systems (GNSS), satellite laser ranging and very long baseline interferometry—which transformed accuracy and global coverage. Modern geodeesia addresses the geoid (an equipotential surface used as a vertical datum), crustal deformation, sea-level change, and temporal variations in Earth’s rotation and gravity.

Practitioners work within geodetic reference frames that define coordinates and heights for mapping, cadastral surveying, infrastructure development and scientific monitoring. Applications span navigation, land administration, hazard assessment, geophysics and climate studies. The discipline is interdisciplinary, continually integrating advances in instrumentation, data processing and modeling to refine our quantitative description of the planet.