gml:Ellipsoid

A gml:Ellipsoid is a geometric figure that may be used to describe the approximate shape of the earth. In mathematical terms, it is a surface formed by the rotation of an ellipse about its minor axis.

Element information

Content

• Sequence [1..1]
  from type gml:DefinitionBaseType
  gml:metaDataProperty [0..*]
  gml:description [0..1]The value of this property is a text description of the object. gml:description uses gml:StringOrRefType as its content model, so it may contain a simple text string content, or carry a reference to an external description. The use of gml:description to reference an external description has been deprecated and replaced by the gml:descriptionReference property.
  gml:descriptionReference [0..1]The value of this property is a remote text description of the object. The xlink:href attribute of the gml:descriptionReference property references the external description.
  gml:identifier [1..1]Often, a special identifier is assigned to an object by the maintaining authority with the intention that it is used in references to the object For such cases, the codeSpace shall be provided. That identifier is usually unique either globally or within an application domain. gml:identifier is a pre-defined property for such identifiers.
  gml:name [0..*]The gml:name property provides a label or identifier for the object, commonly a descriptive name. An object may have several names, typically assigned by different authorities. gml:name uses the gml:CodeType content model. The authority for a name is indicated by the value of its (optional) codeSpace attribute. The name may or may not be unique, as determined by the rules of the organization responsible for the codeSpace. In common usage there will be one name per authority, so a processing application may select the name from its preferred codeSpace.
  from type gml:DefinitionType
  gml:remarks [0..1]
  1. gml:semiMajorAxis [1..1]gml:semiMajorAxis specifies the length of the semi-major axis of the ellipsoid, with its units. Uses the MeasureType with the restriction that the unit of measure referenced by uom must be suitable for a length, such as metres or feet.
  2. gml:secondDefiningParameter [1..1]gml:secondDefiningParameter is a property containing the definition of the second parameter that defines the shape of an ellipsoid. An ellipsoid requires two defining parameters: semi-major axis and inverse flattening or semi-major axis and semi-minor axis. When the reference body is a sphere rather than an ellipsoid, only a single defining parameter is required, namely the radius of the sphere; in that case, the semi-major axis "degenerates" into the radius of the sphere. The inverseFlattening element contains the inverse flattening value of the ellipsoid. This value is a scale factor (or ratio). It uses gml:LengthType with the restriction that the unit of measure referenced by the uom attribute must be suitable for a scale factor, such as percent, permil, or parts-per-million. The semiMinorAxis element contains the length of the semi-minor axis of the ellipsoid. When the isSphere element is included, the ellipsoid is degenerate and is actually a sphere. The sphere is completely defined by the semi-major axis, which is the radius of the sphere.

Attributes

Substitution hierarchy

• gml:AbstractObject
  • can be substituted with gml:AbstractGML
    • can be substituted with gml:Definition
      • can be substituted with gml:Ellipsoid
        • can be substituted with gmx:ML_Ellipsoid

Sample instance

<gml:Ellipsoid gml:id="ID">
   <gml:metaDataProperty>
      <gml:GenericMetaData>Any text, intermingled with:
         <!--any element-->
      </gml:GenericMetaData>
   </gml:metaDataProperty>
   <gml:description>string</gml:description>
   <gml:descriptionReference/>
   <gml:identifier codeSpace="http://www.example.com/">string</gml:identifier>
   <gml:name>string</gml:name>
   <gml:remarks>string</gml:remarks>
   <gml:semiMajorAxis uom="">1.0</gml:semiMajorAxis>
   <gml:secondDefiningParameter>
      <gml:SecondDefiningParameter>
         <gml:inverseFlattening uom="">1.0</gml:inverseFlattening>
      </gml:SecondDefiningParameter>
   </gml:secondDefiningParameter>
</gml:Ellipsoid>