Lyla Lindsey
Australia is on the move. Tectonic shifts have caused the entire continent to move 1.5 metres north over the past 22 years, causing issues for global positioning systems (GPS). The Australian plate is the fastest-moving continental plate on Earth, shifting northwards and slightly to the east by about 7 centimetres each year. This movement has resulted in the Australian government updating the country's latitude and longitude to reflect its new position.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Distance moved since 1994 | 1.5 metres north |
| Annual movement | 7 centimetres north |
| Reason for movement | Tectonic shifts |
| Date of updated coordinates | 1 January 2017 |
| Date of alignment with global coordinates | 2020 |
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What You'll Learn
Australia's GPS coordinates will be updated
The Geocentric Datum of Australia (GDA), the national body responsible for maintaining the country's coordinates, announced plans to update the official latitude and longitude to match Australia's new position. This update was scheduled to take effect in January 2017, with the new coordinates based on predictions of the country's location in 2020. The GDA recognised the need for more accurate measurements as technology advances and we increasingly rely on GPS for various applications, including navigation and autonomous vehicles.
The Australian tectonic plate is the fastest-moving continental plate globally, shifting about 7 centimetres northwards and slightly eastwards annually. This movement results from the plate's separation from the Indo-Australian plate approximately three million years ago. The pressure between the Australian plate and the Pacific Plate can lead to earthquakes as they continue to collide.
By updating the GPS coordinates, Australia's mapped coordinates will be aligned with the rest of the planet's global coordinate system. This change will ensure that the continent's local coordinates are in sync with the global ones, providing more accurate positioning information for GPS users. The new system will also be designed to accommodate future changes in Australia's position due to tectonic movements.
The process of updating Australia's datum involves transforming coordinates and developing technical resources to support the transition. While the datum shift may go unnoticed by many, users of accurate spatial information and positioning technologies will need to stay current with these changes. The Australian government and relevant agencies are working together to implement these updates and ensure the country's coordinates are current and accurate.
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Tectonic shifts cause movement
Tectonic shifts, also known as continental drift, are the primary cause of Australia's movement. The Australian continent rests on the planet's fastest-moving tectonic plate, which is constantly shifting and causing the continent to move.
The Australian tectonic plate moves approximately 6.9 to 7 centimetres (2.7 to 2.8 inches) in a northward direction each year, with a slight clockwise rotation. This movement is significantly faster than that of other plates, such as the North American plate, which travels at roughly one inch per year. The Australian plate's rapid movement is due to its unique geology and position on the planet.
The effects of these tectonic shifts are noticeable in the changes to Australia's longitude and latitude coordinates. Since the last adjustment to its GPS coordinates in 1994, Australia has shifted by up to 4.9 feet (1.5 metres). This movement has caused issues for global positioning systems (GPS) and other navigation technologies, as well as industries that rely on precise location data, such as agriculture, transport, and mining.
To address these issues, the Australian government and scientists have worked to update the country's latitude and longitude coordinates. In 2016, it was announced that Australia's official coordinates would be shifted to reflect the continent's new position. This process, known as GDA2020, aimed to bring Australia's mapped features back into alignment with global systems by 2020.
The ongoing tectonic shifts also have implications for the future. As the Australian plate continues to move, it is colliding with the Pacific Plate, leading to the build-up of pressure between the two plates. This pressure will likely result in earthquakes, causing further movement and potential disruptions to global navigation systems.
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Australia's landmass is moving closer to the equator
The northward movement of the Australian landmass means that the country is not where we think it is anymore. This has consequences for global navigation systems, which were and still are based on Australia's position in 1994, putting the continent out of sync. This discrepancy is only going to become more of an issue as technology improves and we start to rely on GPS for things like self-driving cars.
To fix this problem, the national body Geocentric Datum of Australia (GDA) announced that it would officially update the country's coordinates in 2017, based on predictions of where the country would be in 2020. This would mean that for three years, the new coordinates would be slightly out of sync while the continent caught up with its updated longitude and latitude. However, they would be much more accurate than the previous coordinates.
In 2020, the GDA implemented a new system that would continually measure and model Australia's movement, including local ground deformation and subsidence effects, as well as global tectonic motion. This new system will ensure that the location information we rely on is always in alignment with the devices we use to access it.
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GPS technology will need to be more accurate
Australia has moved 1.5 metres north since 1994 due to tectonic shifts. This movement has caused a discrepancy between the country's official coordinates and its actual position, impacting GPS systems and technologies that rely on them, such as delivery drones, meteorologists, and automated cars. While this discrepancy may not significantly affect individuals using Google Maps or other smartphone navigation apps, it becomes more critical with the development of technologies that require precise location data, such as self-driving cars.
GPS technology derives location information from global lines of longitude and latitude, which remain fixed even as continents shift. This means that while Australia has physically moved, its official coordinates have not been updated to reflect this change. As a result, there is now a notable difference between the country's mapped position and its actual position, impacting the accuracy of GPS systems.
The need for more accurate GPS technology is becoming increasingly important. With the development of autonomous vehicles and the potential for driverless cars, precise location data will be essential to ensure the safety and functionality of these vehicles. A discrepancy of 1.5 metres could mean the difference between driving in the correct lane and veering into oncoming traffic. As technology advances, the margin for error decreases, and GPS systems must become more accurate to keep up with these advancements.
To address this issue, Australia's national body, the Geocentric Datum of Australia (GDA), announced plans to update the country's coordinates in 2017. By overcompensating and shifting the coordinates 1.8 metres north, the GDA aimed to align the local coordinates with the Earth's global coordinates by 2020. This update was intended to provide more accurate location data for the three years between 2017 and 2020, after which a new system would be implemented to account for future changes.
The continuous movement of the Australian continent due to tectonic plate shifts highlights the need for a dynamic and adaptable GPS system. Stage 2 of the modernisation process, planned for 2020, aimed to address this by establishing a location reference system that continually measures and models Australia's movement. By taking into account local ground deformation, subsidence effects, and global tectonic motion, the system aims to provide location information that is always in alignment with the devices that rely on it. This future-proof approach ensures that Australia's coordinates can be adjusted as needed to match its actual position, rather than relying on outdated data.
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Australia's datum needs to be updated
Australia has moved approximately 1.5 metres north since 1994 due to tectonic shifts. The Australian tectonic plate is the fastest-moving continental plate on Earth, moving about 7 centimetres northwards and slightly eastwards each year. This movement has resulted in a discrepancy between Australia's official coordinates and its actual position, impacting GPS systems and maps.
The Geocentric Datum of Australia (GDA) is the national body responsible for maintaining the country's datum and coordinate system. The current datum, known as GDA94, was established in the early 1990s and was designed to move with the drift of the Australian continent. However, since the last update in 1994, the continent has shifted, causing a mismatch between the GDA94 coordinates and the actual position of the continent.
As a result, Australia's datum needs to be updated to ensure that maps, navigation systems, and positioning technologies remain accurate and reliable. The GDA announced plans to update the country's coordinates in 2017, based on predictions of where the country would be in 2020. This update aimed to address the growing discrepancy and improve the accuracy of location services.
The need for an updated datum is particularly important with the advancement of technology and the increasing reliance on GPS and positioning systems. With the development of autonomous vehicles, accurate spatial information is crucial. By updating the datum, Australia can ensure that its plate-fixed maps are synchronised with modern positioning devices, providing accurate and reliable location information for various applications.
In 2020, the second stage of modernisation was planned to establish a dynamic location reference system that continually measures and models Australia's movement, including local ground deformation and global tectonic motion. This system aims to provide future-proof location information that is always aligned with the latest positioning technologies. The process is overseen by the Intergovernmental Committee on Surveying and Mapping (ICSM) and supported by the GDA Modernisation Implementation Working Group (GMIWG).
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Frequently asked questions
Australia has moved 1.5 meters north since 1994.
Tectonic shifts are the reason for Australia's movement. The Australian tectonic plate is the fastest-moving continental plate on Earth.
As the plates move, local coordinates become out of sync with global coordinates. Scientists planned to revamp all of Australia's coordinates by January 2017, with the country's mapped coordinates expected to align with the rest of the planet's by 2020.
Australia's movement affects GPS maps on smartphones, delivery drones, meteorologists, and automated cars. As technology improves and we start to rely on GPS for things like self-driving cars, we will need measurements to be more accurate.
As the pressure between the Pacific and Australian plates builds, earthquakes will most likely result.
