PostGIS Coordinate System – Adding EPSG:7019 (GRS 1980) to PostGIS

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I have been trying to add the ESPG:7019 to my postGIS DB using INSERT into spatial_ref_sys (srid, auth_name, auth_srid, proj4text, srtext). I am trying to find the right definition to use inside this function. I tried espg.io and spatialreference.org and but can't find the definition. Some answers suggest that it's because GRS 1980 (EPSG:7019) is just an ellipsoid and not an real CRS. But how can we have an ESPG code for an ellipsoid? Also,select distinct ST_SRID(geom) from mytable returns 7019 in PostGIS -so it has to be one of the recognised CRS. So where can I find the right PostGIS deifnition?

Best Answer

GRS 1980 is defined by two measurements:

Semi-major axis = 6378137

Inverse flattening = 298.257222101

With this, you've defined an ellipsoid, but you do not have a coordinate system. Where is Europe on this ellipsoid? North America? That is why you need a datum. The datum aligns the actual Earth onto this mathematical construct.

Once a datum is in place with the ellipsoid, you can use degrees or other angular measurements to pinpoint locations that are along the surface (given a Prime Meridian) and that is the basis for a Geographic Coordinate Reference System. (GeoCRS or GCRS)

Bottom line is that you can't use just an ellipsoid since they are abstract concepts and (in of itself) not tied to the Earth.

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