Could This New Map Projection Revolutionize Our Understanding of the Globe?

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SUMMARY

The discussion centers on Gott, Goldberg, and Vanderbei's innovative double-sided disk map, which utilizes an equidistant azimuthal projection to minimize all six types of map distortions. This projection offers a significant improvement over traditional flat maps, particularly in accurately representing distances across oceans and poles. The map achieves a Goldberg-Gott error score of 0.881, indicating its effectiveness in balancing local shapes and areas. This new approach could revolutionize our understanding of global geography.

PREREQUISITES
  • Understanding of map projections, specifically equidistant azimuthal projections.
  • Familiarity with the concept of map distortion and its types.
  • Knowledge of the Goldberg-Gott error score and its significance in evaluating map accuracy.
  • Awareness of traditional map types, such as the Winkel Tripel projection.
NEXT STEPS
  • Research the principles of equidistant azimuthal projections and their applications.
  • Explore the implications of minimizing map distortions in cartography.
  • Study the Goldberg-Gott error score and how it is calculated.
  • Investigate other innovative map projections and their potential benefits.
USEFUL FOR

This discussion is beneficial for cartographers, geographers, educators, and anyone interested in advancements in map-making and geographic representation.

anorlunda
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A recent thread Why Grid North doesn't agree with True North on maps had a lot of discussion on map projections.

Here is a new contender for best way to project the globe in 2D. I am interested in their claim. "distances across oceans or across poles are both accurate and easy to measure." We have had other threads discussing that difficulty.

https://phys.org/news/2021-02-astrophysicists-re-imagine-world-distorted-radically.html

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Gott, Goldberg and Vanderbei’s revolutionary, double-sided disk map minimizes all six types of map distortions. They used an equidistant azimuthal projection: a compromise projection, like the Winkel Tripel, with small errors in both local shapes and areas, instead of optimizing one at the expense of the other. Antarctica and Australia are more accurately represented than in most other maps, and distances across oceans or across poles are both accurate and easy to measure, unlike one-sided flat maps. Goldberg-Gott error score: 0.881 Credit: Map by J. Richard Gott, Robert Vanderbei and David Goldberg
 
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