# Vertical position > Mediated Wiki article. Canonical URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Vertical_position > Markdown URL: https://mediated.wiki/source/Vertical_position.md > Source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertical_position > Source revision: 1335694213 > License: Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/) Position along a vertical direction above or below a given vertical datum For the supply chain concept, see [Vertical integration](/source/Vertical_integration). **Vertical position** or **vertical location** is a [position](/source/Position_(mathematics)) along a [vertical direction](/source/Vertical_direction) (the [plumb line](/source/Plumb_line) direction) above or below a given [vertical datum](/source/Vertical_datum) (a reference level surface, such as [mean sea level](/source/Mean_sea_level)). **Vertical distance** or **vertical separation** is the [distance](/source/Distance) between two vertical positions. Many **vertical coordinates** exist for expressing vertical position: depth, height, altitude, elevation, etc. Points lying on an [equigeopotential](/source/Equigeopotential) surface are said to be on the same **vertical level**, as in a [water level](/source/Water_level_(device)). A [function](/source/Function_(mathematics)) with [domain](/source/Domain_of_a_function) along the vertical line is called a *vertical distribution* or *vertical profile*. ## Definitions The [International Organization for Standardization](/source/International_Organization_for_Standardization) (ISO), more specifically [ISO 19111](/source/Spatial_reference_system), offers the following two definitions:[1] - *depth*: "distance of a point from a chosen reference surface measured downward along a line perpendicular to that surface."[1] - *height*: "distance of a point from a chosen reference surface measured upward along a line perpendicular to that surface";[1] [ISO 6709](/source/ISO_6709) (2008 version) makes the following additional definition: - *[altitude](/source/Altitude)*: "height where the chosen reference surface is mean sea level"[1] The [International Civil Aviation Organization](/source/International_Civil_Aviation_Organization) (ICAO) offers similar definitions:[2] - *[altitude](/source/Altitude)*: "the vertical distance of a level, a point or an object considered as a point, measured from the mean sea level (MSL);"[2] - *height*: "the vertical distance of a level, a point or an object considered as a point, measured from a specific datum."[2] ICAO further defines: - *[elevation](/source/Elevation)*: "the vertical distance of a point or a level, on or affixed to the surface of the earth, measured from mean sea level."[2] I.e., elevation would be the altitude of an earth-bound feature, such as the ground or a building. ### Derived quantities Further information: [Heights in geodesy](/source/Heights_in_geodesy) Several [physical quantities](/source/Physical_quantity) may be defined based on the definitions above: - [Depth below seafloor](/source/Depth_below_seafloor) - [Depth in a well](/source/Depth_in_a_well) - [Drying height](/source/Drying_height) - [Dynamic height](/source/Dynamic_height) - [Ellipsoidal height](/source/Ellipsoidal_height) - [Geocentric altitude](/source/Geocentric_altitude) - [Geopotential](/source/Geopotential) - [Height above mean sea level](/source/Height_above_mean_sea_level) - [Height above average terrain](/source/Height_above_average_terrain) - [Height above ground level](/source/Height_above_ground_level) - [Measured depth](/source/Measured_depth) - [Normal height](/source/Normal_height) - [Orthometric height](/source/Orthometric_height) - [Thickness (geology)](/source/Thickness_(geology)) - [True vertical depth](/source/True_vertical_depth) ### Units Vertical distance quantities, such as [orthometric height](/source/Orthometric_height), may be expressed in various units: [metres](/source/Metres), [feet](/source/Foot_(unit)), etc. Certain vertical coordinates are not based on [length](/source/Length), for example, [geopotential numbers](/source/Geopotential_number) have units of m2/s2. Normalization by a constant nominal gravity value (units of m/s2) yields units of metre, as in [geopotential height](/source/Geopotential_height) (based on [standard gravity](/source/Standard_gravity)) or [dynamic height](/source/Dynamic_height) (based on [normal gravity](/source/Normal_gravity) at 45 degrees latitude). Despite the [physical dimension](/source/Physical_dimension) and [unit of length](/source/Unit_of_length), the vertical coordinate does not represent distance in [physical space](/source/Physical_space), as would be measured with a ruler or [tape measure](/source/Tape_measure). Sometimes a ***geopotential metre*** (symbol gpm or m') or *dynamic metre* is introduced for emphasis.[3][4] However, this practice is not acceptable with the [International System of Units](/source/International_System_of_Units) (SI).[a] Another non-SI unit is the *vertical metre*, introduced when there may be confusion between vertical, horizontal, or [slant distances](/source/Slant_distance). It is used for distance climbed during sports such as [mountaineering](/source/Mountaineering), [skiing](/source/Alpine_skiing), [hiking](/source/Hiking), [running](/source/Running) or [cycling](/source/Cycling).[6] In German-speaking countries the abbreviation 'Hm' for *Höhenmeter* ("height metre") is used; if it is preceded by a '±' it refers to the [cumulative elevation gain](/source/Cumulative_elevation_gain). ## Determination Various instruments and techniques may be used for measuring or determining vertical position: - [Altimeter](/source/Altimeter) - [Bathymetry](/source/Bathymetry) - [Benchmark (surveying)](/source/Benchmark_(surveying)) - [Depth gauge](/source/Depth_gauge) - [Depth sounding](/source/Depth_sounding) - [Hypsometer](/source/Hypsometer) - [Topography](/source/Topography) - [Tide gauge](/source/Tide_gauge) - [Water level (device)](/source/Water_level_(device)) ## Phenomena Many physical phenomena are related to vertical position, as driven by [gravity](/source/Gravity): - [Hydraulic head](/source/Hydraulic_head) - [Stage (hydrology)](/source/Stage_(hydrology)) - [Isostasy](/source/Isostasy) - [Mean sea level](/source/Mean_sea_level) - [Geoid](/source/Geoid) - [Sea surface height](/source/Sea_surface_height) - [Temperature lapse rate](/source/Temperature_lapse_rate) - [Terrain](/source/Terrain) - [Digital terrain model](/source/Digital_terrain_model) - [Topographic prominence](/source/Topographic_prominence) - [Vertical displacement](/source/Vertical_displacement) - [Post-glacial rebound](/source/Post-glacial_rebound) - [Subsidence](/source/Subsidence) - [Tectonic uplift](/source/Tectonic_uplift) - [Vertical pressure variation](/source/Vertical_pressure_variation) ## See also - [Chart datum](/source/Chart_datum) - [Geodesy § Heights](/source/Geodesy#Heights) - [Geographic coordinates](/source/Geographic_coordinates) - [Horizontal position](/source/Horizontal_position) - [Hypsometry](/source/Hypsometry) - [Physical geodesy](/source/Physical_geodesy) - [Vertical and horizontal](/source/Vertical_and_horizontal) - [Vertical separation (aviation)](/source/Vertical_separation_(aviation)) - [Water level](/source/Water_level) ## Notes 1. **[^](#cite_ref-6)** The Guide for the Use of the International System of Units, section 7.5 (Unacceptability of mixing information with units), states:[5] When one gives the value of a quantity, any information concerning the quantity or its conditions of measurement must be presented in such a way as not to be associated with the unit. ## References 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-ISO6709:2008_1-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-ISO6709:2008_1-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-ISO6709:2008_1-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-ISO6709:2008_1-3) ["ISO 6709:2008(en) preview"](https://www.iso.org/obp/ui/#iso:std:iso:6709:ed-2:v1:en). *www.iso.org*. ISO. Retrieved 8 June 2016. 1. ^ [***a***](#cite_ref-annex4_2-0) [***b***](#cite_ref-annex4_2-1) [***c***](#cite_ref-annex4_2-2) [***d***](#cite_ref-annex4_2-3) [United Nations](/source/United_Nations) - [International Civil Aviation Organization](/source/International_Civil_Aviation_Organization). ["Annex 4: Aeronautical Charts - Chapter 1 (Definitions, Applicability and Availability)"](https://web.archive.org/web/20160917213355/http://dcaa.trafikstyrelsen.dk:8000/icaodocs/Annex%204%20-%20Aeronautical%20Charts/Annex%204%20Aeronautical%20Charts,%20Edition%20no%2011.pdf) (PDF). Archived from [the original](http://dcaa.trafikstyrelsen.dk:8000/icaodocs/Annex%204%20-%20Aeronautical%20Charts/Annex%204%20Aeronautical%20Charts,%20Edition%20no%2011.pdf) (PDF) on 2016-09-17. Note: Annex 4 is one of the (currently) 19 annexes to the [Chicago Convention on International Civil Aviation](/source/Chicago_Convention_on_International_Civil_Aviation) ([ICAO Doc. 7300](http://www.icao.int/publications/Documents/7300_cons.pdf)). 1. **[^](#cite_ref-3)** [World Meteorological Organization - Guide to Meteorological Instruments and Methods of Observation - Preliminary seventh edition - WMO-No. 8 - Secretariat of the World Meteorological Organization – Geneva – Switzerland - 2006](http://www.seedmech.com/documents_folder/wmo_no_8.pdf) 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Bjerknes1910_4-0)** [Bjerknes, V.](/source/V._Bjerknes) (1910). [*Dynamic Meteorology and Hydrography: Part \[1\]-2, \[and atlas of plates\]*](https://books.google.com/books?id=ub5XAAAAYAAJ&pg=PA13). Carnegie Institution of Washington publication. Carnegie Institution of Washington. p. 13. Retrieved 2023-10-05. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-Thompson_Taylor_2018_5-0)** Thompson, Ambler; Taylor, Barry N. (2018-11-10). ["Guide for the Use of the International System of Units (SI)"](https://www.nist.gov/publications/guide-use-international-system-units-si). *NIST*. Retrieved 2020-12-09. 1. **[^](#cite_ref-7)** Nash, Mike, *Exploring Prince George: A Guide to North Central B. C. Outdoors*, Vancouver: Rocky Mountain Books, 2004, p. 105. ## Further reading - IOGP (2018) *Geomatics Guidance Note 24: Vertical data in oil and gas applications*, [International Association of Oil & Gas Producers](/source/International_Association_of_Oil_%26_Gas_Producers) (IOGP), Geomatics Committee, Geodesy Subcommittee. Report 373–24, April 2018. [\[1\]](https://www.iogp.org/bookstore/product/geomatics-guidance-note-24-vertical-data-in-oil-and-gas-applications/) ## External links - Media related to [Vertical position](https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:Vertical_position) at Wikimedia Commons --- Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Vertical position](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertical_position) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vertical_position?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.