Difference between revisions of "Flattening"
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Flattening
</dt>
Of the earth, the ratio of the difference between the equatorial radius
(major semiaxis) and the polar radius (minor semiaxis) of the earth to the
equatorial radius. Also called compression. See astronomical
constants.
</dd>
''The flattening of the earth is the ellipticity of the spheroid and
equals the ellipticity of the ellipse forming a meridional section the
spheroid. If a and b represent the major and minor semiaxes of the spheroid,
and f is the flattening of the earth,
expressed by stating the numerical value of the reciprocal of the flattening, a/(a - b). </dd>
References
This article is based on NASA's Dictionary of Technical Terms for Aerospace Use
