Sudan Geodetic and Geospatial Reference System

Abstract

Abstract The development in information and satellite technologies and geospatial data productions of today, let the Sudan Survey Authority to study all available options for a change from its local datum, Adindan to a global reference frame to be in line with the United Nations Global Geospatial Information (UNGGIM) committee of expert recommendations. Sudan Survey Authority (SSA) finally adopted the ITRF2008 (IGS2008) to be as the official Sudan Reference System (SRS). The SRS shall be an accurate reference system for the unification of Sudan existing many geospatial reference systems and datums, geodetic networks and mapping products and to work closely with the international and regional geospatial communities. The Sudan adopted reference system shall assist the public and private sector institutions for improving their organizational integration, data sharing and data exchange capabilities as well as increasing the ability to link geospatial data infrastructure data sets based on common location data, including Sudan National Basemap, property and building surveys, utility surveys and setting outs, natural resources surveys, roads and infrastructure surveys, map productions and map updatings, as well as all what can be considered as geospatial and survey practices in Sudan. The new Sudan reference system (ITRF2008) will be considered as a national Geodetic Reference Frame (NGRF), which, shall help the geospatial community in Sudan to adopt the best practices in the fields of geomatics and geoinformation by enhancing the existing systems and adopting new technologies associated with common standards and specifications. The paper overviewed the technical considerations of the adopted Sudan Reference System and outlined the benefits of the unification of previous georeferencing systems and to eliminate the drawbacks of using many datums within the entire boundaries of Sudan.