Elements of Map Projections

Rationale: Orthomorphic (conformal) projections preserve local shapes and angles at any given point, meaning the scale is the same in all directions around that point.

Rationale: Homolographic or equal-area projections ensure that a given area on the map represents the same proportion of the Earth's surface anywhere on the map.

Rationale: Conic projections use a cone as the developable surface, which is placed over the globe along one or more standard parallels.

Rationale: The gnomonic projection is a perspective projection where the point of projection is at the center of the Earth.

Rationale: Tissot's Indicatrix uses ellipses to show the amount and orientation of distortion (shape, area, and scale) at various locations on a map projection.

Rationale: Gerardus Mercator's 1569 projection is a cylindrical conformal projection widely used for navigation because rhumb lines appear as straight lines.

Rationale: A standard parallel is a line of latitude where the scale is true, meaning there is no distortion along that specific parallel.

Rationale: Zenithal or azimuthal projections are planar surfaces typically centered on the poles, making them ideal for polar cartography.

Rationale: Gall-Peters is a rectangular cylindrical equal-area projection that emphasizes relative landmass sizes while severely distorting shapes at high latitudes.

Rationale: Mollweide projection is an equal-area pseudo-cylindrical projection depicted within an ellipse or circle where meridians are elliptical arcs.

Rationale: Equidistant projections maintain true scale (distance) from one or more specified points or along specific lines, but not everywhere.

Rationale: Stereographic projection places the viewpoint on the globe's surface directly opposite the point of tangency, resulting in a conformal planar projection.

Rationale: A sphere cannot be flattened into a plane without stretching or tearing, which is why map projections are mathematically required.

Rationale: The sinusoidal projection is an equal-area projection where parallels are equally spaced straight lines and the central meridian is a straight line while others are sine curves.

Rationale: It is mathematically impossible to flatten a sphere onto a plane without introducing distortion in shape, area, distance, or direction.

Rationale: Conic projections, particularly Albers, are best suited for landmasses and countries with a predominant east-west directional spread, like the USA.

Rationale: A rhumb line is a line crossing all meridians at the same angle; on a Mercator projection, it is plotted as a straight line, aiding navigation.

Rationale: In a polyconic projection, each parallel has its own cone whose vertex lies along the extension of the central meridian.

Rationale: Arthur Robinson designed his projection as a compromise to balance visual aesthetics and minimize overall distortion rather than strictly preserving area or shape.