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GIS Dictionary

Definitions for GIS terms related to operations such as analysis, GIS modeling and web-based GIS, cartography, and Esri software.

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azimuth

1. [cartography] The horizontal angle, measured in degrees, between a baseline drawn from a center point and another line drawn from the same point. Normally, the baseline points true north and the angle is measured clockwise from the baseline.
2. [analysis/geoprocessing] A compass direction. For example, in some GIS software, the direction from which a light source illuminates a surface is called the azimuth.
3. [navigation] In navigation, the horizontal angle, measured in degrees, between a reference line drawn from a point and another line drawn from the same point to a point on the celestial sphere. Normally, the reference line points true north and the angle is measured clockwise from the reference line.