Eötvös Loránd University

Faculty of Informatics

Department of Cartography and Geoinformatics

KOVÁCS Béla

The connection between the GPS and the maps from the

Balkan Peninsula

PhD Thesis

ELTE Faculty of Science, Earth Science PhD school

School leader: Dr. GÁBRIS Gyula

PhD course of Cartography

Program leader: Dr. KLINGHAMMER István

Consultants

Dr. GYÖRFFY János, Assoc. Prof.

Dr. TIMÁR Gábor, Habil. Assoc. Prof.

Budapest, 2010

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The aim of the research

The main purpose of my thesis: to summarize and present the state of the modern

navigation systems and their developmental stages. Additional goal of my thesis is to provide

practical examples to illustrate the connections and usage of historical and modern

topographic maps in GIS (Geographic Information Systems) and GPS (Global Positioning

System) in the Balkan region.

The original measurement protocols of the Balkan triangulations that were not

published before are digitalized completed with a description of the calculated coordinates.

The thesis summarizes the contemporary maps and the GIS map systems fitting parameters.

A historical overview is given of the most radio based navigation systems from the

mid-20th century, and explains in detail today's GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite Systems)

and the complementary subsystems. The old (19th century) and newer (20th century)

topographic maps used in the countries of the Balkan Peninsula are hardly available for

research today. I summarize the necessary parameters to transform the map data of these

sheets into GIS. The current state of the topographic mapping in the Balkan countries and the

potential availability of basic data, maps and procurement opportunities (or constraints) are

also presented.

The thesis presents the connection form of old topographic maps and the GPS

measurement data as well as the possibility of fitting them in a modern GIS systems.

Published maps graphically show the current best matching accuracy achieved with the

parameters of the 19th and 20th century maps. I compare them with modern maps and data

content of the data obtained from the old and unpublished Balkan triangulations.

The practical applicability of my thesis is the presentation of the examination of the

third military survey maps and data performed by the Austro-Hungarian Empire. The GPS

field measurements in Transylvania and in the former Yugoslav successor states justified the

theory of establishing connecting parameters.

In practice, I present the precise data by the merging of the SRTM (Shuttle Radar

Topography Mission) measurement data, the topographic maps of the last centuries and the

GPS.

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The review map of the geodetic base points of the Balkan triangulations. The points

are automatically fitted and placed on the original georeferenced map using GIS software

The European part of the Turkish Empire with colored points showing the

measurements that were done by the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy in:

1855-1857 Wallachian triangulation (yellow)

1871 Bosnia and the southern border of the Monarchy (green)

1872 Bosnia and Rumelia (brown)

1873 Albania and Macedonia (cyan)

1874 Turkish Empire, but not the Russian measurements (red)

1875 Rumelia aka Bulgaria (black)

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Historical overview

The GNSS is now the toolkit in the hand of every professional natural sciences

researcher, just like a hammer used to be for the geologists or the microscope for the

biologists. Today, there is a GPS in your hands, car and other filed equipment.

In the past, only the astronomical methods were used for the determination of geodetic

control base points for mapping. In this kind of measurement, the position accuracy of few

meters were reached with enough long observations (a few hours/days long).

The development of this precision geodetic instruments speeded up. Today, the

positioning can be executed in any second, even in sub-centimetre accuracy, without cross-

view of any base-points on the ground.

The hand-held GPS instruments stored approximately 200 geodetic map date systems,

and they were used in most countries of the world. The Balkan territories represented an

exception this time, because the data of their topographic maps were classified as strict secret

by the military. The old topographic maps of the region do not give any useable detail, so they

can only be used if we have enough number of intersection control points. If the mapping

system and the centre of local coordinate system are known, the problem can be resolved with

using GCP (Ground Control or Check Point).

In the phase of my research, the original Balkan triangulation documents were found,

which helped a lot in calculating the datum parameters of the old Serbian maps.

From the beginning, I did many field measurements. The first control measurements

that prove the calculated parameters were the field research of the base point of the second

military survey in Romania with GPS. The project was successful, which proved the

calculating and the use of the theory. Later, I applied this procedure to the south Balkan

region, and the idea properly worked for it too.

After the work in office, there were a lot of filed measurements, whose results are

represented in the thesis.

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Realization

In the present thesis, I describe the history and application of the global positioning as

well as the historical and modern cartography of the Balkans, primarily of the former

Yugoslav territories. The results of my research provide links between these two subjects.

In the first introductory parts (Chapters 2-5), I describe the history of the positioning

up to the satellite positioning techniques: the GPS, GLONASS, Galileo and Compass systems

and the auxiliary systems that make them more accurate and reliable (WAAS, EGNOS). I also

give an overview of the cartographic and geodetic coordinate systems used in these systems.

The second part (Chapters 6 and 7) is an overview of the past and present of the

geodesy and cartography of the Balkan region. First I show the surveys taken on the former

territories of the Habsburg Empire (later: Austro-Hungarian Monarchy), then I describe the

history of the independent Serbian (military) cartography. I systematically present the quality

and accessibility of the modern cartographic data in the Balkan states.

Next, in Chapter 8, I provide my own results (partly from projects in which I

participated) that ensure connection between the GPS and its coordinate systems and the

historical and modern Balkan and Yugoslav maps. First, I show the GPS-supported finding of

the field location of the Transylvanian base point of the Second Military Survey of the

Habsburg Empire, the abandoned location of the provisional astronomical observatory near to

Sibiu. Then, I describe the coordinate systems used in Croatia at the Second and Third

Military Surveys of the Habsburgs. I completed and also show in this chapter the procedures

necessary for georeferencing the 1:75,000 scale Serbian topographic map series, prior to the

WW I. Finally I overview the Balkan triangulations of the Habsburgs, and show their base

points and the database digitized by myself.

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Research results

1. I have reviewed the development of modern radio-based navigation

systems from the mid 20th century to the present.

2. I analyzed the history of military topographic mapping of Yugoslavia. I

have presented the history of the Military Geographical Institute (VGI), and

the state of the present geodetic base data of the successor states of

Yugoslavia and other states in the region.

3. I have measured and marked the base point of the second military survey

of the Habsburgs in Transylvania with the use of GPS and using the

contemporary data from the original cartographic base materials.

4. I have defined the fitting parameters of the sheets of the first Serbian map

series at 1 : 75 000 scale for use in GIS.

5. I have executed the field control measurements of the system fitting

parameters of the second and third military surveys to make them available

for using by GPS in Croatia.

6. I have digitized and processed the complete base point data and the

original records and manuscripts of the Balkan triangulations carried out

by the Austro-Hungarian Monarchy.

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Conclusion

For precise terrain fieldwork to achieve the originally measured places with the presented

modern navigational equipment (e. g. old maps on the basis of geographical, geological,

archaeological, biological etc.), it is required to use the correct maps and the relevant GPS

coordinate system also.

For the collecting of new data for GIS analyses and presentation we need to know the origin

of old mapping systems and the fitting parameters for other data sources (e. g. aerial photos,

data collected from space, etc.).

The results of my research should be used for making connections and relationship between

the researchers of Balkan region (that is not so far, but poorly managed because of well-

known political reasons).

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Publicatios

Kovács Béla, Timár Gábor (2010): The Austro-Hungarian triangulations in the Balkan Peninsula

(1855-1875). In: GARTNER, Georg, ORTAG, Felix (eds.): Cartography in Central and Eastern Europe.

Lecture Notes in Geoinformatics and Cartography, Springer, Berlin-Heidelberg, 535-544.

Kovács Béla, Timár Gábor (2009): The Austro-Hungarian Triangulations in the Balkan Peninsula

(1853–1875). In: GARTNER, Georg, ORTAG, Felix (eds.): Proceedings of the First ICA Symposium for

Central and Eastern Europe 2009, Vienna University of Technology, 911-921.

Irás Krisztina, Kovács Béla (2009): „GNSS in education” poster presentation, ICA Symposium for

Central and Eastern Europe 2009, Vienna xx

Kovács Béla (2009): History of the GNSS - from GPS to GALILEO”„Descriptio Transylvaniae.

International Conference on History of Cartography and Historical Geography. Cholnoky Jenő

Geographic Society, Babeş–Bolyai University, Kolozsvár, Románia 177-180.

Timár Gábor, Kovács Béla, Bartos-Elekes Zsombor, Păunescu Cornel (2008): The Dealul Sibiului

base point of the Transylvanian surveys. Geographia Technica 3(1): 127-134.

Timár Gábor, Kovács Béla (2008): A Balkán-háromszögelések. A Földgömb 10(3): 91-93.

Kovács Béla, Timár Gábor (2008): The Habsburg triangulations of the Balkan Peninsula (1853-

1875) and the Habsburg and Serbian topographic maps based on them. Geophysical Research

Abstracts 10: 01183.

Sümegi András, Kovács Béla (2008): Helymeghatározás fotósoknak Digitális Fotó Magazin 2008(2),

70-72.

Kovács Béla, Bartos-Elekes Zsombor (2007): A második katonai felmérés erdélyi főalappontjának

felkeresése GPS segítségével. Geodézia és Kartográfia 59(12), 24-25.

Timár Gábor, Molnár Gábor, Székely Balázs, Biszak Sándor, Kovács Béla, Markovinovid Danko, Kuhar

Miran (2006): A Második Katonai Felmérés horvátországi szelvényeinek georeferálása.

Geodézia és Kartográfia 58(12): 30-35.

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Timár Gábor, Markovinovid Danko, Kovács Béla (2006): Az ivanicsi (ivanići) rendszer

paraméterezése a térinformatikai alkalmazásokban. Geodézia és Kartográfia 58(8): 27-31

Elek István, Kovács Béla, Verebiné Fehér Katalin (2004): Digitális térképtár az ELTE-n, GEO 2004,

Magyar földtudományi szakemberek VII. világtalálkozója, E7, 80

Kovács Béla (2002): ELTE-KöM permanens GPS-állomás. Studia Cartologica 12: 181-186

Kovács Béla (2002): Térképfejlődés – Ariadné vonala. GPS Magazin 1: 2.

Kovács Béla (2000): ICA-CET konferencia. Geomatika 2000/3: 19-21.

Kovács Béla (2000): Trimble GPS szakmai nap. Geomatika 2000/5: 23.