North America on the Move

Just think of some possible headlines: "University of Alaska, Fairbanks, campus to be moved " or "Fifty thousand Fairbanksans to move to the southwest at year's end." There is no need to panic, however, because nothing will physically move on the ground, and we will all keep our same neighbors. Nevertheless, the geographical location of every point in North America (with the exception of one point near Fort Wayne, Indiana) will change in late 1983 or early 1984.

For over one hundred years American surveyors have been using the shape of the earth as determined by the British geodesist A.R. Clarke. With the advent of satellite surveying, electronic distance measurements, and other "space-age" techniques, it has become apparent that the true radius of the earth at the equator should be about 69 meters less than Clarke's, and the polar radius should be about 168 meters greater. The National Geodetic Survey (a branch of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration), in cooperation with related agencies in Canada and other countries, is changing the latitude and longitude of all points in North America.

What will be the effect of these shifts in Alaska? Around Fairbanks, everything will shift about 49 meters (160 feet) to the south and about 116 meters (380 feet) to the west. The north latitude of our positions will decrease by about 1.5 seconds of arc, and our west longitudes will increase by about 8.9 seconds of arc. In addition, our "geoidal heights" will increase by about 10 meters (33 feet) but this will be of concern only to surveyors (Later in this decade, there will be a general readjustment of elevations.)

The average citizen will be little affected by these changes, but there will be some effect on certain activities. U.S. Geological Survey maps will have new boundaries. Navigators using Loran charts will see some differences. Applicants for F.C.C. antenna permits will have to use the new positions. In addition, surveyors will notice a major impact, with new state plane coordinates, new locations for B.L.M. township and section locations, and new mathematical procedures for precise survey calculations.

Residents of the southern states will be "moving" slightly north, and east coast inhabitants will move slightly to the east, but we Alaskans will have a painless journey southwestward. Have a happy moving day!