Geodesic option on points yields incorrect buffers

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03-26-2024 05:54 AM
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RandyMcGregor_BMcD
New Contributor III

Just about sent a map set out, then realized the buffer distances seemed way off (pink, below). I had entered the distances correctly and the coordinate system of the input points was in the coordinates  I had assumed. I reran, changing nothing except using 'Planar' and it was correct (blue, below). Geodesic is the default. Is this a bug? is there something that causes this to happen that I should know about? 

RandyMcGregor_BMcD_0-1711457412943.png

Thank you,

Randy McGregor

 

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Dale_Honeycutt
Occasional Contributor II

The geodesic option is correct.  Your map projection (spatial reference) is distorting distances.  See these articles:

https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/latest/tool-reference/analysis/how-buffer-analysis-works.htm

 

https://pro.arcgis.com/en/pro-app/3.1/tool-reference/spatial-analyst/geodesic-versus-planar-distance...

 

Also, do a web search on "Geodesic vs Planar buffers ArcGIS".  You'll find several articles and videos about this.