Optimization of Numerical Methods for Transforming UTM Plane Coordinates to Lambert Plane Coordinates

Abstract

The rapid transformation from UTM (Universal Transverse Mecator) projection to Lambert projection helps to realize timely merging, inversion, and analysis of high-frequency partitioned remote sensing images. In this study, the transformation error and the efficiency of the linear rule approximation method, the improved linear rule approximation method, the hyperbolic transformation method, and the conformal transformation method were compared in transforming the coordinates of sample points on WGS84 (The World Geodetic System 1984)-UTM zonal projections to WGS84-Lambert projection coordinates. The effect of the grid aspect ratio on the coordinate transformation error of the conformal transformation method was examined. In addition, the conformal transformation method-based error spatial pattern of the sample points was analyzed. The results show that the conformal transformation method can better balance error and efficiency than other numerical methods. The error of the conformal transformation method is less affected by grid size. The maximum x-error is less than 0.36 m and the maximum y-error is less than 1.22 m when the grid size reaches 300 km × 300 km. The x- and y-error values decrease when square grids are used; namely, setting the grid aspect ratio close to 1 helps to weaken the effect of increasing grid area on the error. The dispersion of the error distribution and the maximum error of sample points both decrease relative to their minimum distance to the grid edge and stabilize at a minimum distance equal to 70 km. This study can support the rapid integration of massive remote sensing data over large areas.