A reference ellipsoid is an ellipsoid of revolution, of equatorial semi-axis a and flattening f, chosen so that it is itself a level surface of a model potential: the potential of a rotating body of mass M with the angular velocity ω and the dynamical form factor J2 of the Earth. Four constants define it; the Geodetic Reference System 1980 takes
a=6378137m,GM=3.986005×1014m3s−2,J2=1.08263×10−3,ω=7.292115×10−5rads−1,
and derives from them the flattening f=0.00335281068 (1/f=298.257222) and the semi-minor axis b=6356752.3141m.