Planimetric Martian triangulations

Abstract

Narrow-angle photographs, which have severe drawbacks for stereophotogrammetry, have advantages for simple plane triangulations. Rectified narrow-angle pictures corrected for map projection effects can be combined in the map plane in relatively accurate planimetric triangulations. Provided the strict precepts of least squares are not followed, these triangulations can incorporate considerable overdetermination without increase in the labor of solving the equations. These plane triangulations have been used successfully in the cartography of Mars and are illustrated here by a triangulation of the environs of the prime Martian landing site.