Google Earth implements coordinate system as defined in the OGC KML 2.2 standard. The vertical component (altitude) is measured from the vertical datum, which is the WGS84 EGM96 Geoid. Typically altitude can be thought of as a measure in meters above sea level (MSL) for absolute height.
Does google earth provide elevation?
An often overlooked feature of Google Earth, elevation profiles were first introduced in version 5.2. The feature is easy to use, all you need is a path selected in your ‘My Places’ then go to the ‘Edit’ menu and select ‘Show Elevation Profile’.
When we were writing we ran into the query “What is the height of a Google Earth image?”.
Google Earth itself doesnt do any projection or anything, but by convention all the data (imagry, KML etc) ‘imported’ into Google Earth uses WGS84. The heights on google earth refer to EGM96 and are, therefore, Geoidal heights.
How do I show elevation in Google Earth Pro?
Draw a path or open an existing path. An elevation profile will appear in the the lower half of the 3D Viewer. If your elevation measurement reads ” 0, ” make sure the terrain layer is turned on.
Simply open Google Earth, navigate to the location in question (either by manually zooming in or by typing the appropriate name in the search box). In case you’ve found your target location, the elevation of that specific point will be displayed at the bottom right of your Google Earth window.
What is a geodetic datum?
Geodetic datums form the basis of coordinates of all horizontal positions on Earth. All coordinates on Earth are referenced to a horizontal datum. The North American Datum of 1927 (NAD27) is one of the main three geodetic datums used in North America. NAD27 uses all horizontal geodetic surveys collected at this time using a least-square adjustment.