Abstract

New Datums for the Nation: A Change for Better Positioning in the US
Track: Spatial Data Infrastructure
Authors: Michael Dennis

New datums are coming. As part of modernizing the National Spatial Reference System, NOAA’s National Geodetic Survey plans to release two new datums (reference systems) for the US in 2022. A new geometric (“horizontal”) datum will replace the North American Datum of 1983, and a new geopotential (“vertical”) datum will replace the North American Vertical Datum of 1988. Reasons for the new datums, how much change to expect, strategies to prepare for change, and the benefits will be discussed.