Sistema de coordenadas planas e projeção cartográfica para a representação da área territorial completa de Minas Gerais

Abstract

Map projection is a transformation for converting measurements taken from the curve earth surface model into flat map surface model. The UTM projection, adopted for Brazilian official mapping, has been largely used for mapping all over the country. The state of Minas Gerais encompasses a wide geographic extension stretching for about eleven degrees in longitude by nine degrees in latitude. Because of its large shape the complete territorial area can not be mapped by UTM projection which zones are limited to six degrees in longitude. Up to now, the whole state of Minas Gerais has been mapped by using several types of projections, but some of those are inappropriate. The development of digital cartography and GIS popularization are greatly increasing the use of maps and the availability of digital geographic data. Therefore it is now the proper moment to suggest a state plane coordinate system and a map projection capable of mapping the complete territory of Minas Gerais. Thus, this paper developed a study that indicates the Lambert Conformal Conic projection with two standard parallels as the best one for mapping Minas Gerais entirely. The study evaluates distortions in different geographic positions, suggests a mapping plane coordinate system and indicates the best position for Lambert projection standard parallels.