OVERVIEW

The teaching unit aims to provide both theoretical knowledge of geodesy, cartography, and nautical astronomy for navigation, as well as an understanding of the procedures relevant to maritime navigation. It focuses on the methods required for reliable voyage planning and proper execution, taking into account the use of nautical charts and publications, navigational aids, the International Code of Signals, and relevant legal sources. Position determination will be analyzed in terms of both celestial and coastal navigation, considering the use and control of instruments such as the magnetic compass and the gyrocompass.
Furthermore, the course aims to provide theoretical and practical knowledge of statistical tools for assessing the quality of measurements and of quantities derived from them, such as voyage coordinates, starting with an understanding of error types, their modeling, propagation, and estimation.

AIMS AND CONTENT

LEARNING OUTCOMES

The teaching unit aims to provide a throughout understanding of the procedures that are relevant for the maritime navigation, also considering the proper sources of law: a theoretical part allows to focus on geodesy, cartography and nautical astronomy items related to navigation, while an operational part will focus on the methods that are necessary to carry out a reliable voyage planning and a correct execution, taking into account the use of nautical charts and publications, Aids to Navigation and the International Code of Signals. The position fixing will be analysed in terms of both celestial and coastal navigation, considering the use and control of instruments such as the magnetic and gyro compass. In addition, the teaching unit aims to provide theoretical and practical knowledge of statistical tools for evaluating the quality of measurements and the quantities derived from them, as well as the statistical method of least squares adjustment for evaluating the quality of overdetermined positions.

PREREQUISITES

None

TEACHERS AND EXAM BOARD

EXAMS

EXAM DESCRIPTION

The exam is primarily written, including exercises and multiple-choice questions. The exam concludes with a review and discussion of the written exam and any supplementary oral questions.

As part of the Geodesy and Cartography exam, students are also required to complete a short written assignment on astronomical positioning using direct-solution tables. This assignment is assigned to each student and can be completed at home. This assignment is marked and discussed during the oral exam.

The exam can be taken online in the cases provided for by the University Regulations.

ASSESSMENT METHODS

The final grade will take into account knowledge of theoretical concepts and the ability to argue the results of tests and exercises.