The Nautical Mile is internationally recognised as 1852m which is an approximation of 1' of latitude subtended to the earths surface. However it is an average and the geographical length on the earths surface of 1' of lat subtended will vary according to the radius of the earth at that point.
The earth is an oblate spheroid (flattened at the poles) and has a smaller radius at the poles of 6356.752Km compared to 6378.137Km at the equator (wikipedia).
Accordingly I would expect the 1' of arc of Lat subtended at the poles would give a shorter figure for a geographical NM than at the equator.
However I note that the reverse is the case. Wikipedia under the heading Nautical Mile gives a figure of 1861.57M at the pole compared to 1842.90M at the equator.
Is there something I am not understanding?
Please help.
Mike
latitude is based on 1 degree of arc, which depends on the radius of curvature, not the distance from the center of Earth. Wiki is correct.
http://calgary.rasc.ca/latlong.htm
BOB, Wiki might well be correct but I need to understand why it is correct. I wrote the question, not to challenge what I had read but to further my understanding. When you say lat is based on 1 degree of arc what are you referring to?
Mike
Read the link I placed in the post.
Degree of arc is measured at the center of curvature, which for Earth is not the center of Earth. Did I write degree...oops...minute of latitude is based on the angle subtended on Earth by the radius of curvature (not radius of Earth) from the center of curvature. At the "flat" poles, the radius of curvature is longer. At the poles, the distance from center of Earth to the surface is shorter. Your question, I am certain, was confusion about the shorter radius should subtend a shorter distance on Earth, however, because Latitude is based on angles measured from the center of curvature, which is further at the poles than at the equator, the latitude subtends a longer distance. Take a look at the link I posted.
Thanks Bob, Looked at your link and the penny has dropped. I still find it difficult to accept that the pole having a smaller radius creates a longer NM!
Mike
Hi Mike! I can help explain why the length of the nautical mile at the poles is greater than at the equator, even though the Earth is smaller at the poles.
The nautical mile is defined as one minute of latitude. It is an approximation of the average distance on the Earth's surface corresponding to one minute of latitude. This approximation is based on the assumption that the Earth is a perfect sphere.
However, as you mentioned, the Earth is not a perfect sphere but an oblate spheroid. This means that the Earth is slightly flattened at the poles and bulging at the equator. Due to this flattening, the radius of the Earth is smaller at the poles compared to the equator.
Now, because the nautical mile is based on the assumption of a spherical Earth, the value of one minute of latitude is an average of all latitudes. This means that the value of one minute of latitude as a nautical mile does not change significantly between the poles and the equator.
To understand why the length of the nautical mile is greater at the poles compared to the equator, we need to consider the effect of the Earth's shape on the distance covered by one minute of latitude.
At the equator, where the Earth bulges, the same one minute of latitude covers a slightly greater distance compared to the poles. This is because the Earth's circumference is larger at the equator. Therefore, the nautical mile at the equator is slightly shorter.
Conversely, at the poles, where the Earth is flatter, the same one minute of latitude covers a slightly shorter distance. This is because the Earth's circumference at the poles is smaller. Therefore, the nautical mile at the poles is slightly longer.
So, even though the Earth is smaller at the poles, the effect of the Earth's shape on the distance covered by one minute of latitude causes the nautical mile to be slightly longer at the poles compared to the equator.
I hope this explanation clarifies your confusion! Let me know if you have any further questions.