Spatial Reference Systems: Definitions
Spatial Reference Systems (SRS)
Spatial Reference Systems, also referred to as "Coordinate Systems" or "Coordinate Reference Systems", include two common types:
- Geographic Coordinate Systems
- Projected Coordinate Systems
Try not to confuse this with the more general terms:
- Spherical Coordinate System
- Rectangular Coordinate System
Esri uses the following terms interchangeably to refer to a spatial reference system:
- Coordinate System
- Spatial Reference System
- Projection (and "prj")
Geographic Coordinate Systems (GCS)
Geographic Coordinate Systems consist of:
- Datum
- Ellipsoid
- Major Axis
- Inverse Flattening
- Prime Meridian (Greenwich)
- Units (Degrees)
Projected Coordinate Systems (PCS)
Projected Coordinate Systems consist of:
- Geographic Coordinate System
- Projection Method
- Parameters
- Number varies with the method
- Units
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