Mathematical Model for an Observed Azimuth

on a Conformal Mapping Plane

Dr. Peter A. Steeves, P.Eng.
Geodetic Software Systems
The mathematical model for an azimuth.
N
j
y j
AZ
i j
i
y
i

i
x
j
x
From basic trigonometry we have:
i j i j
j i
j i
AZ
x x
y y

'

1
tan
a non-linear equation. Non-linear equations are not easy to model in a least squares
adjustment, therefore, we shall substitute the rigorous mathematical model with the first
terms (linear terms) of the Taylors series expansion of the mathematical model and
iterate the solution to convergence. Taylors series approximation requires a set of
approximate values for the unknowns. We shall use the tilde (~) sign to denote
approximate values. The set of approximate values must be calculated before a least
squares adjustment is initiated.
( ) F
x x
y y
i j
j i
j i
~
~
tan
~ ~
~ ~

'

1
A
F F
y
F
x
F
y
F
x
i
i
j
j

1
]
1

~
, , ,

( ) ( )
( )
( )

F
y
x x
y y
x x
y y
i
j i
j i
j i
j i
+

'

'

1 1
1
2
2
~ ~
~ ~
~ ~
~ ~
( )
( ) ( )
( )
( )

F
y
x x
y y
x x
y y
y y
i
j i
j i
j i
j i
j i

+

'

'

~ ~
~ ~
~ ~
~ ~
~ ~
2 2
2
2
( )

F
y
x x
S
i
j i
i j

~ ~
~2
( )
( )

F
x
x x
y y
y y i
j i
j i
j i
+

'

'

1 1
1
2
~ ~
~ ~
~ ~
( )
( ) ( )
( )
( )

F
x
y y
x x
y y
y y
i
j i
j i
j i
j i

+

'

'

1
2 2
2
~ ~
~ ~
~ ~
~ ~
( )

F
x
y y
S
i
j i i j

~ ~ ~2
Similarly,
( )

F
y
x x
S
j
j i
i j

~ ~
~2
( )

F
x
y y
S
j
j i i j
+
~ ~ ~2
( ) ( ) ( ) ( )
A
x x
S
y y
S
x x
S
y y
S
j i
i j
j i
i j
j i
i j
j i
i j

+


+

1
]
1
1
~ ~
~
,
~ ~
~
,
~ ~
~
,
~ ~
~ 2 2 2 2
A is known as the design matrix for the unknown parameters.

1
]
1
1
1
1
i
i
j
j
dy
dx
dy
dx
( ) W F observed
i j i j

~
~
( )
The design matrix for the observations is:
B
F
L
L

1
]
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
1

1 0 0 0
0 1 0 0
0 0 1 0
0 0 0 1
. . . .
. . . .
. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .
. . . . . . . .
. . . .
. . . .
a negative Identity matrix, therefore, a least squares adjustment of azimuths uses the
parametric case.