Journal of Emerging Trends in Engineering and Applied Sciences: Research Areas

Article Title: ITRF 2008 Realization of the Nigerian Geocentric Datum (GDN2012): Preliminary Results
by Dodo, J. D.; Yakubu, T. A.; Usifoh, E. S., and Bojude, A

Abstract:
The Nigerian geodetic reference ellipsoid is the Clarke 1880 with the centre and origin not in coincidence with the Earth's centre of mass. The station is roughly located at the centre of the primary triangulation network referred to as MINNA DATUM. The Minna datum is a local datum with origin of the coordinate adopted. The control was established using the traditional survey methods; thus resulting to a number of inherent deficiencies that causes serious distortion in the network. These include among others; In-accuracy of the scale factor by compression of the Clarke 1880 ellipsoid, thereby causing defect in distances measured.; the origin of the Nigerian network is poorly defined; absence of geoidal height model; and difficulties in the determination of the transformation parameters. However, the Federal Government of Nigeria through the Office of the Surveyor General of the Federation (OSGOF) have set up a surveying infrastructure throughout the country known as the Continuously Operating Reference Station (CORS); to replace the traditional geodetic passive networks which are the basic infrastructure for Surveying and Mapping in any country. The eventual purpose is national development, security and defence, which is in line with the government's endeavour to improve its delivery mechanism. The coordination of the CORS stations to the International Terrestrial Reference Frame (ITRF) has become obvious towards the realization of the Geocentric Datum of Nigeria for various applications such as, Surveying and Mapping, Navigation, Monitoring of large structures, landslides, subsidence as well as Earthquake. The Centre for Geodesy and Geodynamics has embarked on a project to determine the Geocentric Datum of Nigeria. This paper presents preliminary results for the Realization of the Geocentric Datum of Nigeria

Keywords: international terrestrial reference frame, geocentric datum, osgof, continuously operating reference station

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