Active versus Passive Rotations
Publication: Journal of Surveying Engineering
Volume 144, Issue 1
Abstract
Active and passive rotations are used in many applied scientific fields, such as engineering, geodesy, and geophysics, just to name a few. However, a source of confusion could arise when both types of rotations are performed sequentially. The author is not aware of any publication where, in a tutorial manner, the relationship between active and passive rotations is coherently described, untangling in the process some of the most typical misconceptions. This technical note is a modest attempt to remedy this void by clarifying, as much as possible, some essential points that may help the understanding of these two varieties of commonly used rotations and how to properly apply them in some practical situations.
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Acknowledgments
The author acknowledges the three anonymous reviewers for their thoughtful and helpful suggestions. Thanks are also extended to B. H. W. van Gelder for critically reviewing an earlier version of the manuscript.
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Published In
Journal of Surveying Engineering
Volume 144 • Issue 1 • February 2018
Copyright
© 2017 American Society of Civil Engineers.
History
Received: Apr 21, 2017
Accepted: Sep 19, 2017
Published online: Oct 27, 2017
Published in print: Feb 1, 2018
Discussion open until: Mar 27, 2018
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