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Reciprocal Azimuth Difference Blunder Flag Checker

Flag supplied local forward/back azimuth reciprocity discrepancies against an explicit tolerance, preserving signed angular wrap; distant geodesic endpoints need not have exact reciprocal bearings.

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Description

Check local reciprocal azimuth agreement with signed wrapping and a caller-supplied tolerance.

Geodesy distinguishes a mathematical reference ellipsoid, a realized coordinate datum and the physical gravity field. Geodetic latitude follows the ellipsoid normal; geocentric latitude follows a radius from the center. Ellipsoidal height, orthometric height and geoid undulation are separate signed quantities. Keep the declared ellipsoid, coordinate axes, angular units and time scale with a result.

Check local reciprocal azimuth agreement with signed wrapping and a caller-supplied tolerance.

When to use this tool

Use this tool when you need to check local reciprocal azimuth agreement with signed wrapping and a caller-supplied tolerance.

How to use the tool and how it works

  1. Enter forwardAzimuthDegrees, backAzimuthDegrees, toleranceDegrees using the definitions below.
  2. Run the operation. Resolve input-format errors before interpreting an output.
  3. Read result.expectedBackAzimuthDegrees, result.signedDiscrepancyDegrees, result.flag, using the stated boundary, ordering, sign and absence conventions.

Wrap forwardAzimuth+180° to [0,360) for the expected reciprocal and wrap observedBack−expected to [−180,180) for signed discrepancy. Flag only when its absolute value strictly exceeds tolerance.1

Input fieldMeaning and unitsAccepted input
forwardAzimuthDegreesLocal/planar forward azimuth clockwise from north in degrees, [0,360).Finite numeric value satisfying the stated comparisons.
backAzimuthDegreesObserved reciprocal azimuth on the same local convention, [0,360) degrees.Finite numeric value satisfying the stated comparisons.
toleranceDegreesNonnegative allowed absolute discrepancy in degrees, at most 180.Finite numeric value satisfying the stated comparisons.
Output fieldInterpretation
resultObject containing the fields below.
result.expectedBackAzimuthDegreesForward azimuth plus 180°, wrapped into [0,360).
result.signedDiscrepancyDegreesObserved reciprocal minus expected, wrapped into [−180,180).
result.flagTrue only when absolute discrepancy strictly exceeds caller tolerance.
json
{
  "input": {
    "forwardAzimuthDegrees": 10,
    "backAzimuthDegrees": 195,
    "toleranceDegrees": 2
  },
  "output": {
    "result": {
      "expectedBackAzimuthDegrees": 190,
      "signedDiscrepancyDegrees": 5,
      "flag": true
    }
  }
}

Limitations and assumptions

  • Azimuths are in [0,360), tolerance in [0,180] degrees. This is a local/planar reciprocal-angle check; distant ellipsoidal geodesic endpoint azimuths need not differ by exactly 180°.
  • All quantities are finite and retain the units stated for this operation. Ellipsoid-parameter tools use semi-major axis 1–10⁸ m and dimensionless flattening 0–0.02; explicit-axis tools use 0.9a≤b≤a unless a tighter bound is stated. These tools do not fetch datums, geoid grids, satellite observations or Earth-orientation updates.
  • Every declared outer field is required and unknown outer fields are rejected. Strings and JSON text have size limits, lists are bounded to 128 entries, and JSON nesting/node counts are bounded. Tighter operation-specific bounds stated above take precedence.
  • Numeric results must be finite. Large physical magnitudes are allowed by the output evidence checks, while integer fields and source schemas retain their exactness rules. Source indexes are zero-based. Floating-point residues can remain even where an ideal formula gives an exact zero.

Alternative or Complementary methods

Use a coordinate transform for a change of representation and explicit datum parameters for a change of reference frame. Preserve model and convergence metadata, and use observation and datum information appropriate to a real survey before interpreting a computed tolerance as accuracy.

References

  1. Tool behavior and example: Reciprocal Azimuth Difference Blunder Flag Checker — tool.io

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