Gauss Kruger
A system using Transverse Mercator projections to map the world into numerous standard zones that are six
degrees wide. The standard Manifold Gauss-Kruger projection is also known as the
Pulkovo 1942 Gauss-Kruger projection. A similar Gauss-Kruger projection is
implemented in the National Grids group of Manifold projections under Germany as the DHDN Gauss-Kruger projection presets.
Americans can best understand the Gauss Kruger system by thinking of it as a
version of the Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) system with zones defined for European and Asian coverage. (Europeans, of
course, can think of the UTM system as a version of the Gauss Kruger system that
has been implemented by Americans.)
See the Universal Transverse Mercator (UTM) topic for information on how systems such as UTM and Gauss Kruger operate.
Comments
Like UTM or the State Plane Coordinate System, the Gauss Kruger system of
projections is a living fossil. It was created mostly as a reflection of the
technological limitations of an earlier era. When used with skill as originally
intended it still functions well in expert hands. The problem with the Gauss
Kruger system (as with UTM or the State Plane) is that it is constantly misused in
civil applications by inexpert users who do not realize the limitations built
into the system.
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