Thursday, April 12, 2012

U.S. and Canada Agree to Joint North American Height Datum

NOAA's National Geodetic Survey and Natural Resources Canada have agreed, in writing, to develop a common vertical reference system in North America that establishes a common definition of "zero height." This new vertical reference system will be based on a gravity model, or geoid, which will allow GPS to measure heights relative to sea level more accurately than ever before. Canada will adopt its new gravity-based vertical reference system in FY2013, while U.S. development, to even higher accuracy standards, will occur in 2022 after completion of the NOAA Gravity for the Redefinition of the American Vertical Datum initiative. A common reference system will facilitate data sharing and consistency across borders. For more information, contact Dru Smith or Dan Roman.