Robinson projection
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The Robinson projection is a map projection of a world map, which shows the entire world at once. It was specifically created in an attempt to find a good compromise to the problem of readily showing the whole globe as a flat image.
The Robinson projection is an accomplishment of Arthur H. Robinson in 1961, and is used by Rand McNally since the 1960s and by the National Geographic Society between 1988 and 1998. Since 1998, the National Geographic Society has used the Winkel tripel projection to better represent the earth. Since then, a modified version of the Winkle tripel projection has been the leading projection utilized. The Robinson is now considered archaic.
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[edit] Strengths and weaknesses
Like many projections, the Robinson has advantages, and like all projections, it has disadvantages. The projection is neither equal-area nor conformal, abandoning both for a compromise. The creator felt this produced a better overall view than could be achieved by adhering to either. The meridians curve gently, avoiding extremes, but thereby stretch the poles into long lines instead of leaving them as points.
Hence, distortion close to the poles is severe but quickly declines to moderate levels moving away from them. The straight parallels imply severe angular distortion at the high latitudes toward the outer edges of the map, a fault inherent in any pseudocylindrical projection. However, at the time it was developed, the projection effectively met Rand McNally's goal to produce appealing depictions of the entire world.
[edit] Specification
The projection is defined by the table:
| Latitude | PLEN | PDFE |
|---|---|---|
| 00 | 1.0000 | 0.0000 |
| 05 | 0.9986 | 0.0620 |
| 10 | 0.9954 | 0.1240 |
| 15 | 0.9900 | 0.1860 |
| 20 | 0.9822 | 0.2480 |
| 25 | 0.9730 | 0.3100 |
| 30 | 0.9600 | 0.3720 |
| 35 | 0.9427 | 0.4340 |
| 40 | 0.9216 | 0.4958 |
| 45 | 0.8962 | 0.5571 |
| 50 | 0.8679 | 0.6176 |
| 55 | 0.8350 | 0.6769 |
| 60 | 0.7986 | 0.7346 |
| 65 | 0.7597 | 0.7903 |
| 70 | 0.7186 | 0.8435 |
| 75 | 0.6732 | 0.8936 |
| 80 | 0.6213 | 0.9394 |
| 85 | 0.5722 | 0.9761 |
| 90 | 0.5322 | 1.0000 |
The table is indexed by latitude, using interpolation. The PLEN column is the length of the parallel of latitude, and the PDFE column is multiplied by 0.5072 to obtain the distance of that parallel from the equator. Meridians of longitude are equally spaced on each parallel of latitude.
[edit] See also
- Winkel Tripel — projection currently used by the National Geographic.
[edit] References
- Arthur H. Robinson (1974). "A New Map Projection: Its Development and Characteristics". In: International Yearbook of Cartography. Vol 14, 1974, pp. 145–155.
- John B. Garver Jr. (1988). "New Perspective on the World". In: National Geographic, December 1988, pp. 911–913.
- John P. Snyder (193). Flattening The Earth - 2000 Years of Map Projections, The University of Chicago Press. pp. 214–216.
