[Geotools-devel] ISO19115/ISO19111 VerticalExtent/VerticalCRS and Multidimensional Coverage

[Daniele R. <dan...@ge...>]

Hi lists,
I have another question about VerticalExtent.
As already stated in my previous email titled "Multidimensional Coverage and
Vertical Extent", part of my job is related to handling the Extent of a 4D
Coverage (XY+Vertical+Temporal). In such a context, ISO 19115 defines the
EX_Extent element which is extended by GeographicBoundingBox (holding
northing,southing,westing,easting geographic boundaries), TemporalExtent and
VerticalExtent. The latter is related to a VerticalCRS (as defined in 19111)
which can't be used to handle ellipsoidal height since this height only
lives within a 3D GeographicCRS.
Under these conditions, how should I handle the 3rd component of a
GeographicCRS to follow the 19115/19111?
I just have acquired the 19115:2003 corrigendum 2006 which, for
VerticalExtent, has removed the verticalDatum element changed to
verticalCRS. Consequently SC_VerticalDatum class has been changed to SC_CRS
with the note "SC_CRS: set of parameters describing the relation of
gravity-related heights to the Earth".
Now I'm not sure about the meaning of that SC_CRS. It is referring to a
general CRS containing a "height related" component (Such as a 3D
GeographicCRS or a CompoundCRS)?. Or the SC_CRS has been used to indicate
the base class of a VerticalCRS to point out that the Datum class is no more
needed)?
Maybe the ISO 19115 VerticalExtent could be related to a more general
CoordinateReferenceSystem within it lives instead of a VerticalCRS.

Best Regards,
Daniele

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Eng. Daniele Romagnoli
Software Engineer

GeoSolutions S.A.S.
Via Carignoni 51
55041 Camaiore (LU)
Italy

phone: +39 0584983027
fax: +39 0584983027
mob: +39 328 0559267


http://www.geo-solutions.it

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