Subclass of:

• crmsci:S4 Observation

Scope note:

This class comprises activities of determining positions in space and time. The determined position is intended to approximate a part or all of the extent of the presence (instance of E93 Presence) of an instance of E18 Physical Thing or E4 Period of interest, such as the outer walls of an excavated settlement, the position of a ship sailing or the start and end of athlete's run in a competition. Characteristically, a theodolite or GPS device may be positioned on some persistent feature. Determining the position of the device will yield an approximation of the position of the feature of interest. Alternatively, some material item may be observed moving through a determined position at a given time.

This class does not inherit properties from class S21 Measurement. A position determination is an evaluation of a combination of measurement of multiple associated distances and/or angles (instances of E54 Dimension) from a particular spot to certain reference points of previously known position in the same reference space. A particular role is played by the Earth's magnetic field and rotational axis as reference for an angle or direction. Often, the observed constituting dimensions are not documented, or hidden in an electronic device software. The determined position is given as an E94 Space Primitive corresponding to a declarative place. Together with the measured time-span covering the time-critical observations it forms a spacetime volume, which should normally overlap with the spatiotemporal extent of the thing or phenomenon of interest.

Examples:

• the determination of the position of the Titanic for the initial distress call after hitting an iceberg (S23) [The iceberg was hit on 14 April 1912 at 23:40 ship’s time. The subsequent position determination was likely done by Capt. Edward Smith and was transmitted 15 April 1912 at 00:27.] (Halpern, 2011).
• the determination of the position of the Titanic by officer Joseph G. Boxhall after the initial distress signal was sent (S23) [done between 00:27 and 00:35, when Boxhall showed the coordinates to Smith] (Halpern, 2011).
• the determination of the position of the Titanic by Robert Ballard's team after the Titanic ship-wreck was found (S23) (Ballard et al., 1987).
• Samuel Halpern’s 2007 determination of the position of the Titanic at the time of the collision (S23) [based on the position of the ship-wreck] (Halpern, 2007).

In First Order Logic:

• S23(x) ⇒ S4(x)

Outgoing properties:

• crmsci:O30 determined position (was determined by) (0,n:0,n) → crm:E94 Space Primitive
• crmsci:O31 has validity time-span (is time-span validity for) (0,n:1,1) → crm:E52 Time-Span
• crmsci:O32 determined position of (was located by) (0,n:1,1) → crmsci:S15 Observable Entity