PLSS System Established On Mars
A grid has been laid out in the Yellowknife area, but have they set an Initial Point Monument?
The grid is 2.6 km square (1.6 miles) which makes little sense for numerical convenience. That is unless they have defined a Martian meter as something new, but this is not a fraction of Martian diameter either.
Paul in PA
PLSS System Established On Mars
A nautical mile on Mars would be different than on Earth because the length is a function of the circumference of the planet.
A Nautical Mile Is About 1 Kilometer On Mars
A nautical mile is 1 minute of arc.
Mean radius of mars = 3,386 km * 2 * 3.14 = 21,275 km circumference
21,275 / 360° / 60' = 0.985 km
So the 2.6 km still makes no sense.
The meter was origianlly established from a kilometer being 1/10,000 the distance from the pole to the equator or 1/4 diamter. Using that on Mars makes a Martian kilometer:
21,275 Earth km / 4 / 10,000 = 0.53 Earth km = 1 Martian Kilometer.
Using a 5 Martian km grid ( 5 * 0.53 = 2.66 ) does agree with the given value.
Paul in PA
A Nautical Mile Is About 1 Kilometer On Mars
> A nautical mile is 1 minute of arc.
>
> Mean radius of mars = 3,386 km * 2 * 3.14 = 21,275 km circumference
>
> 21,275 / 360° / 60' = 0.985 km
>
> So the 2.6 km still makes no sense.
>
> The meter was origianlly established from a kilometer being 1/10,000 the distance from the pole to the equator or 1/4 diamter. Using that on Mars makes a Martian kilometer:
>
> 21,275 Earth km / 4 / 10,000 = 0.53 Earth km = 1 Martian Kilometer.
>
> Using a 5 Martian km grid ( 5 * 0.53 = 2.66 ) does agree with the given value.
>
> Paul in PA
Great!!! Surveyors will get to Mars when commercial development begins. But the money men will still be here on Earth and want all legals in units they understand. Think of an international company dealing with a Martian development/zoning & planing agency. There will be another conversion factor for surveyors, Martian meters to Earth meters to feet. Not to mention acres, Earth hectare and Martian hectare. Glad I'm old enough that it is very unlikely I'll need to deal with the mess!
Mectares, Dallas
Problems in plumbing instruments with light gravity.
Then there is the MGPS system. Atmospheric correction not needed, L1 only. 3 satellites in each of 4 orbits. Put GPS signal generators on each moon's poles.
Paul in PA
A Nautical Mile Is About 1 Kilometer On Mars
I was just being random.
I bet the size of the quadrangles was decided over drinks after work.
Forget the PLSS on Mars
It's been over 200 years and you guys still haven't figured out how to set a center of section or how close is close enough. For that matter, a mile isn't even 5280' (sometimes).
I vote we go with METES & BOUNDS on Mars. The only thing is surveyors in M&B areas have to know how to measure distances other than a mile and have to know how to turn angles other than 90 degrees. 🙂 😀 😉
Dave,
I would have to disagree some as we know how to establish the center 1/4 sec. cor. and we have a Survey Manual that explains it.
The trouble is, some surveyors have not read past Chapter 3 of the 1973 Manual and have not discovered the rest of the Chapters.
One day though, we are hopeful that even those surveyors will see the light.
Keith 🙂
