Geodesy (/dʒiːˈɒdᵻsi/), — also known as geodetics or geodetics engineering — a branch of applied mathematics and earth sciences, is the scientific discipline that deals with the measurement and representation of the Earth, including its gravitational field, in a three-dimensional time-varying space. Geodesists also study geodynamical phenomena such as crustal motion, tides, and polar motion. For this they design global and national control networks, using space and terrestrial techniques while relying on datums and coordinate systems.

Definition

Geodesy — from the Greek word γεωδαισία or geodaisia (literally, "division of the Earth") — is primarily concerned with positioning within the temporally varying gravity field. Somewhat obsolete nowadays, geodesy in the German-speaking world is divided into "Higher Geodesy" ("Erdmessung" or "höhere Geodäsie"), which is concerned with measuring the Earth on the global scale, and "Practical Geodesy" or "Engineering Geodesy" ("Ingenieurgeodäsie"), which is concerned with measuring specific parts or regions of the Earth, and which includes surveying.