On linear transformations of spatial data using the structured total least norm principle

Coordinate transformation is the process of converting spatial data from a source coordinate to a target coordinate system. A set of control points, measured in the two coordinate systems, is used to estimate the transformation parameters. In general, more control points are measured, and the over-determined system is adjusted using the least squares method. However, the standard least squares method assumes that errors exist only in the measurements made at one coordinate system, or at the observation vector (y). This is not the case in many physical systems where errors exist in all the measurements made in both the source coordinate and the target coordinate systems. The Structured Total Least Norm (STLN) method is a relatively new mathematical concept developed to solve estimation problems of so-called Error-In-Variables (EM models. The method is specifically suitable for dealing with transformation problems, since it can handle the special structure of the data matrix (A). The STLN method is uniquely used to compute the parameters of common linear coordinate transformations (affine and similarity). A numerical example is presented to demonstrate the superiority of this technique in terms of accuracy and to compare the standard LS method, the generalized LS algorithm, and the STLN approach.