SSuurrvveeyyiinngg aanndd LLaanndd IInnffoorrmmaattiioonn SScciieennccee Volume 66, Number 2, 2006 Special Content ACSM–U.S. National Report to the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) Munich, Germany, October 2006 Wesley Parks, Guest Editor A Scientific and Technical Journal of the National Society of Professional Surveyors, the Geographic and Land Information Society, and the American Association for Geodetic Surveying We wish to thank USDI Bureau of Land Management, Cadastral Survey for the support they have given to the ACSM - FIG Forum. © 2006 National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS), Geographic and Land Information Society (GLIS), American Association for Geodetic Surveying (AAGS). The professional societies publishing this journal are member organizations of the American Congress on Surveying and Mapping. The Surveying and Land Information Science journal is available in print and online. The online version is hosted by Ingenta at www.ingentaconnect.com. S URVEYING AND L I S AND NFORMATION CIENCE V . 66, N . 2 J 2006 OL O UNE A O J AAGS, GLIS, NSPS D S N FFICIAL OURNAL OF AND EVOTED TO THE CIENCES OF S M , L I , R F URVEYING AND APPING AND NFORMATION AND ELATED IELDS (ISSN 1538-1242) Special Content ACSM–U.S. National Report to the International Federation of Surveyors (FIG) Munich, Germany, October 2006 Wesley Parks, Guest Editor Preface Wesley Parks ............................................................................................................................................. 91 American Congress on Surveying and Mapping and FIG John Fenn, John Hohol, and Curt Sumner The American Congress on Surveying and Mapping, Inc., and ACSM’s involvement with FIG ........ 93 John Hohol The ACSM FIG Forum and ACSM FIG Delegation ............................................................................ 95 Control Surveying Wendy Lathrop and Daniel Martin The American Association for Geodetic Surveying: Its Continuing Role in Shaping the Profession .......... 97 Dru A. Smith and David R. Doyle The Future Role of Geodetic Datums in Control Surveying in the United States ............................... 101 William Henning The New RTK—Changing Techniques for GPS Surveying in the USA .............................................. 107 Land Surveying Robert E. Dahn and Rita Lumos National Society of Professional Surveyors .......................................................................................... 111 Donald A. Buhler Cadastral Survey Activities in the United States .................................................................................. 115 Geographic Information Systems Joshua S. Greenfeld The Geographic and Land Information Society and GIS/LIS Activities in the United States ............ 119 Gary Jeffress and Thomas Meyer Two Perspectives of GIS/LIS Education in the United States ............................................................... 123 Basic Surveying Concepts Thomas H. Meyer, Daniel R. Roman, David B. Zilkoski What does height really mean? Part I: Introduction .............................................................................. 127 Thomas H. Meyer, Daniel R. Roman, and David B. Zilkoski What Does Height Really Mean? Part II: Physics and Gravity .............................................................. 139 Thomas H. Meyer, Daniel R. Roman, David B. Zilkoski What does height really mean? Part III: Height Systems ...................................................................... 149 ©© 22000066 NNSSPPSS,, AAAAGGSS,, GGLLIISS PPrriinntteedd iinn tthhee UU..SS.. AA.. S L I S URVEYING AND AND NFORMATION CIENCE Published by the American Association for Geodetic Surveying (www.aagsmo.org) Geographic and Land Information Society (www.glismo.org) National Society of Professional Surveyors (www.nspsmo.org) c/o 6 Montgomery Village Avenue, Suite 403, Gaithersburg, MD 20879 Tel: (240) 632-9716 * Fax: (240) 632-1321 Editor: Joseph C. Loon, Texas A&M University, Corpus Christi Associate Editor: Steven Frank, New Mexico State University Managing Editor: Ilse Genovese, ACSM Editorial Advisory Board Section Editors Grenville Barnes, University of Florida, Gainsville Education Section Dorota Brzezinska, The Ohio State University Steven Frank Robert W. Dahl, Bureau of Land Management David Doyle, National Geodetic Survey Book Review Eduardo F. Falcon, Topcon America Corporation Peter Kuntu-Mensah Lewis A. Lapine, Chief, South Carolina Geodetic Survey Recent Literature Review Wendy Lathrop, Professional Land Surveyor Mark X. Plog, SurveyPlanet Inc. Mike and Mary Craymer Linda L. Velez-Rodriguez, University of Puerto Rico International Surveying Forum: FIG Nancy von Meyer, Fairview Industries Robert W. Foster Guoqing Zhou, Old Dominion University Subscription: SaLIS Subscriber Services, P.O.Box 465, Hanover, PA 17331-0465, USA. 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Annual printed and online subscription rates for institutions are: Articles for which ACSM does not own rights will so be identified at $180 (USA) and $200 (international). Institutional rates for online only their end. Permission for internal or personal use should be sought by subscriptions are: $160 (USA) and $180 (international). Individual libraries and other users registered with the CCC through the CCC. non-member subscriber rates for printed and online SaLIS are: $130 * All other requests for permission to use material published in this journal (USA) and $150 (international). Individual online only subscription rates are: $115 (USA) and $135 (international). Back issues are sold should be addressed to the managing editor at (240) 632-9716 ext. to non-members at $20 per copy, plus shipping and handling. 109 or by e-mail at <[email protected]>. Preface Wesley Parks Guest Editor [[email protected]] T his is a special issue of Surveying and Concepts. The introductory section presents the Land Information Science, a scientific American Congress on Surveying and Mapping and technical journal of three member and its involvement with FIG. It begins with a organizations of the American Congress on paper on the state of U.S. surveying by John Surveying and Mapping—AAGS, GLIS, and Fenn John Hohol, and Curt Sumner, which NSPS—and one of the principal journals of presents a historical perspective of ACSM and surveying in the United States of America. The describes recent changes to its structure and issue is special because it constitutes a Report the impact of these changes on the relationship to the Federation Internationale des Geometres between FIG and ACSM. Following this intro- (FIG; International Federation of Surveyors) on duction, John Hohol introduces a new ACSM the current state of U.S. surveying practice. It organization, the ACSM FIG Forum, and the is also special in that it contains papers describ- 2006 U.S. delegation to FIG. ing specific surveying activities that members The section on current U.S. control surveying of three U.S. professional surveying societies activity begins with a paper by Wendy Lathrop consider representative of current U.S. survey- and Daniel Martin of the past, present, and ing practice. Besides being a Report to FIG, the future role of the American Association for special issue is a report to the U.S. community Geodetic Surveying (AAGS), the principal U.S. of surveying and mapping professionals from control surveying professional society. The these three professional societies. authors highlight activities which AAGS believes The focus of the Report is the basic land survey. are critical to the future of positioning in the When a U.S. surveyor is retained by a client to U.S. and to those using the technology. United do a survey, he or she will probably begin by States government involvement in control sur- performing some sort of control survey. Further, veying is discussed in a paper by Dru Smith and almost all land surveys have some sort of bound- David Doyle which describes the future role of ary aspect, thus they are at least partially land geodetic datums in control surveying in the U.S. surveys. Results of surveys increasingly include The paper outlines 200 years of U.S. govern- various items of information georeferenced to ment efforts to define, maintain, and provide some sort of universal coordinate system. This access to geodetic datums, based on a reliance information may very well be used ultimately on physical monuments. Its authors focus on in a geographic information system or land new space geodetic techniques that allow the information system (GIS/LIS). Finally, regard- National Geodetic Survey to approach datum less of what type of surveying one is engaged in, definition and control surveys in an entirely new eventually one will need to confront questions way, a way that minimizes the need for passive regarding such basic concepts as location and survey marks in the ground. An example of elevation. U.S. private surveying company involvement Following this focus, the Report is organized in control surveying is provided in a paper by into four main sections, with an additional Willam Henning. He describes the private sector introductory section. The main sections are surveyor as poised to enter a new era of control Control Surveying, Land Surveying, Geographic surveying. Henning highlights the trend away Information Systems, and Basic Surveying from surveys using densely spaced permanent Surveying and Land Information Science, Vol. 66, No. 2, 2006, pp. 91-92 physical monumentation towards surveys utiliz- notes that the society was instrumental in bring- ing more sparse physical networks and establish- ing about the realization of the importance ing site coordinates utilizing the Continuously of surveying within the GIS community. Two Operating Reference Station (CORS) system as perspectives of GIS/LIS education in the U.S. truth. are presented in a paper by Gary Jeffress and The section on current U.S. land surveying Thomas Meyer, faculty members of Texas A&M begins with a paper by Robert Dahn and Rita University-Corpus Christi and the University of Lumos on the activities, accomplishments, and Connecticut, respectively. goals of the National Society of Professional The Report’s consideration of basic concepts Surveyors (NSPS), the principal U.S. land of surveying is presented in three of a series of surveying professional society. United States four papers by Thomas Meyer, Daniel Roman, Government involvement in land surveying and David Zilkoski, in which the authors ask is discussed in a paper by Donald Buhler “what does height really mean?” The first paper on Cadastral Survey activities in the U.S. reviews reference ellipsoids and mean sea level The author notes that cadastral surveys are datums; the second focuses on the physics of primarily a function of the more than 3000 heights, including the notion of the geoid, and county governments in the U.S. and that, with explains why mean sea level stations are not the exception of the original thirteen colonial all at the same orthometric height. Both of states, most county cadastres are built upon a these papers have previously appeared in this rectangular survey system maintained by the Journal, in, respectively, vol. 64, no.4, December U.S. Bureau of Land Management. 2004, and vol.65, no.1, March 2005. The third The section on current U.S. geographic paper develops the principle notions of height information systems and science begins with a from measured, differentially deduced changes paper by Joshua Greenfeld on the activities of in elevation to orthometric heights, Helmert the Geographic and Land Information Society orthometric heights, normal orthometric (GLIS), the principal U.S. control GIS/LIS heights, dynamic heights, and geopotential professional society. According to Greenfeld, numbers. The fourth paper in this series will a major goal of GLIS has been to bridge the appear in a forthcoming issue of Surveying and gap between traditional surveying and map- Land Information Science. ping professionals and the GIS community. He 92 Surveying and Land Information Science The American Congress on Surveying and Mapping, Inc., and ACSM’s Involvement with FIG John Fenn, John Hohol, and Curt Sumner ABSTRACT: Recent changes to the governance structure of ACSM have resulted in some alterations in the character of ACSM’s relationship with FIG. This article provides a historical perspective about ACSM, describes the nature of the governance changes and their impact on the ACSM/FIG relationship, and explains that the mission of ACSM remains unchanged. Introduction the Topographic Mapping Division. These later T became Cartography, Control Surveys, and Land he American Congress on Surveying Surveys technical divisions. Eventually, the tech- and Mapping, Inc. (ACSM) is the orga- nical divisions evolved into semiautonomous nization representing the surveying member organizations (MO) known as American and mapping community in the United States Cartographic Association; American Association to the FIG; ACSM has been a national associa- for Geodetic Surveying; and National Society tion member of FIG since 1959. Former ACSM of Professional Surveyors. The ACSM adopted President Bob Foster has been a long-time active these new organization names in 1980. participant in FIG activities, and he served as Throughout its history, ACSM has attempted FIG President during 1999-2002. to adjust its structure to accommodate the In 2002, ACSM, along with the American Society needs and desires of its members. Thus, the for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ASPRS), American Cartographic Association changed sponsored the XXII FIG Congress during their its name to Cartography and Geographic joint conference in Washington, DC. Information Society (1981), the National Society of Professional Surveyors became the first ACSM member organization to incorporate (1991) and Historical Perspective become autonomous, and a fourth member organization was established (1993) in recogni- Since its establishment in 1941, ACSM has been tion of the growing field in geographic and land an organization comprised of individual mem- information technology. This organization was bers. In one way or another, ACSM members appropriately named Geographic and Land have since the beginning categorized them- Information Society. selves by internally aligning with others who practice their profession within certain elements of surveying and mapping. By 1942, three Governance Changes technical divisions had been formed—Division of Surveying, Mapping, and Photogrammetric In 2004, the American Congress on Surveying Instruments; Division of Control Surveys; and and Mapping continued its evolution with its three other MOs becoming incorporated and autonomous. Individual membership shifted John Fenn, PLS, Fellow member of ACSM, former president from ACSM to one or more of the member of National Society of Professional Surveyors (NSPS), which organizations, as selected by each member. This is an ACSM member organization, current Chair of the ACSM means that members now pay dues to the MO(s) Congress. Phone: 586-254-9577. E-mail: <john@fennsurveyin g.com>. John Hohol, Fellow member of ACSM, current Head of their choice, based on which of the member of ACSM FIG Forum delegation. Phone: 608-222-8277. E-mail: organizations most closely identifies with the <[email protected]>. Curt Sumner, LS, Fellow member of member’s practice area(s). The organizations ACSM, former president of NSPS, current Executive Director have become members of ACSM as equal, of ACSM. Phone: 240-632-9716, ext. 106. E-mail: <curtis.su autonomous bodies that wish to continue their [email protected]>. joint efforts on behalf of the entire surveying and Surveying and Land Information Science, Vol. 66, No. 2, 2006, pp. 93-94 mapping community. This new structure makes embodied within ACSM to enhance aware- it possible for other autonomous organizations ness of their value to the public; with similar interests to become part of ACSM • Contribute to education in the use of surveys without losing their autonomy. The member and maps, and to encourage further devel- organizations feel that this arrangement will be opment of national spatial information pro- beneficial for their efforts to increase member- grams; and ship to the levels enjoyed as recently as a decade • Encourage improvement of university cur- ago. ricula for the teaching of all branches of Each member organization selects two del- surveying, cartography, and geographic egates to a “Congress” which oversees the imple- information sciences. mentation of the activities that the MOs have chosen to pursue collectively. The Congress also exercises oversight of the administrative func- Current ACSM/FIG Relationship tions of the headquarters staff under the direc- In order to properly maintain its relationship tion of ACSM Executive Director Curt Sumner with FIG, ACSM has formed the ACSM FIG ([email protected]). The Congress (nor Forum which consists of two members from each ACSM) does not, however, have governing of the three member organizations with interests authority over the member organizations. A directly tied to the ten FIG Commissions. The chairperson of the Congress is selected in a fash- American Association for Geodetic Surveying, ion similar to the rotation among the member the Geographic and Land Information Society, organizations previously utilized for the nomina- and the National Society of Professional tion of the ACSM President. Surveyors participate in the Forum. The Forum representatives make decisions regarding who will serve as its Head of Delegation and as ACSM Mission Unchanged Delegates in the FIG Commissions. The mission of ACSM remains the same as it Current Head of Delegation John Hohol has been from the time of the organization’s has been actively involved in FIG since 1981. conception in 1938 by a Kentucky educator He, along with the Forum’s FIG Commission (Professor George Harding) and a WPA1 offi- Delegates for the years 2006-2010 will represent cial from Washington, DC (Murray Y. Polling) ACSM well and work to further the mission and while rowing on Rainy Lake, Minnesota, during goals of FIG. a summer surveying camp. That mission is to For information about the ACSM FIG Forum, establish and promote high standards and qual- visit www.acsm.net and click the box marked FIG, ity of work, support better educational opportu- or contact the ACSM headquarters via email at nities in surveying and mapping, provide input [email protected]. into the licensing requirements and continuing education for those in professional practice, and influence legislation and policymaking Conclusion related to surveying and mapping. Although The relationship it has enjoyed with FIG for over the Political Action Committee for ACSM was 45 years is of utmost importance to ACSM and not established until 1982, the Government its constituency. The formation of the ACSM Affairs lobbying program is among the oldest FIG Forum is intended to protect that relation- and most important that ACSM provides to the ship while fulfilling the goals of ACSM’s revised profession. governance structure which provides autonomy The American Congress on Surveying and for its member organizations. Mapping continues to coordinate activities of common interest and for the benefit of all of its member organizations, such as conferences, government affairs, society outreach, and public awareness. The Congress also has a mandate to: • Speak on the national and international level as the collective voice of the professions 1 Works Progress Administration (WPA), a program created by President Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1935 to provide jobs and income to the unemployed during the Great Depression. 94 Surveying and Land Information Science The ACSM FIG Forum and ACSM FIG Delegation John Hohol, Head of Delegation I wish to personally thank Julian (Jud) National Association of Professional Rouch for his dedicated service as the Surveyors (NSPS) head of the ACSM (American Congress on Surveying and Mapping) delegation to Patrick Cummins the International Federation of Surveyors Craig Savage (FIG). Jud has been involved in FIG for many years. He has represented ACSM and ACSM Executive Director, Curtis Sumner American surveyors well in the international ACSM FIG Head of Delegation, John Hohol surveying community. Thank you Jud for a job well done. The American Congress on Surveying and Current ACSM FIG Delegation Mapping is composed of four member orga- (2006- ) nizations, each representing a specific seg- Head of Delegation, John Hohol ment of surveying and mapping in America. Commission 1, Wesley Parks Under the new structure of ACSM, three of Commission 2, Steve Frank the four member organizations of ACSM Commission 3, Chuck Pearson participate in FIG activities. These organiza- Commission 4, Jerry Mills tions have formed the ACSM FIG Forum to Commission 5, Tomas Soler coordinate their FIG activities. The fourth Commission 6, John Hamilton member organization, the Cartography and Commission 7, Don Buhler Geographic Information Society (CaGIS), is Commission 8, Mike Weir the ACSM representative to the International Commission 9, Bob Foster Cartographic Association (ICA). Commission 10, James Boyer The ACSM FIG Forum has two delegates from each of the three participating member organizations. The ACSM Executive Director ACSM FIG Delegation and the Head of the ACSM FIG Delegation are non-voting members of the Forum. The (2002-2005) current ACSM FIG Forum includes: Head of Delegation, Jud Rouch Commission 1, Don Buhler American Association for Geodetic Commission 2, Steve Frank Surveying (AAGS) Commission 3, Chuck Pearson Commission 4, Jerry Mills Daniel Martin Commission 5, Tomas Soler Wesley Parks Commission 6, Cecilia Whitaker Commission 7, John Hohol Geographic and Land Information Commission 8, Mike Weir Society (GLIS) Commission 9, Bob Foster Francis Derby Commission 10, Vacant Joshua Greenfeld Reporter, Wesley Parks Surveying and Land Information Science, Vol. 66, No. 2, 2006, p. 95