CURVATURE AND REFRACTION

The effects of earth curvature and atmospheric refraction are taken into
account when measuring vertical planes. Due to the Earth’s curvature, a
horizontal line departs from the level line by 0.0785 meter in one
kilometer. This is based on the mean radius of the earth being about 6371
km. So the combination of earth’s curvation and atmospheric refraction
causes the telescope’s line of sight to vary from 0.0785 – 0.0110 =0.0675
meter in one kilometer.
So h’ = 0.0675 K2

h’ – the departure of a telescope line of sight from a level line (in meters)
K - the length of the line of sight (in kilometers)

Example 1: page 530

An observer standing on shore can just see the top of a lighthouse 16.5
km away. If the eye height of the observer above sea level is 1.735 m,
determine the height of the lighthouse above sea level. Neglect the effect
of the waves.

Given: h1’ = 1.735m (eye height of the observer)

K = 16.5 km

Find: h2’ (height of the lighthouse)

Figure:

Solution: h1’ = 0.0675K12

1.735 = 0.0675K12
K12 = 1.735/0.0675

K1 =
√ 1.735
0.0675
K1 = 5.07 km.

K = K 1 + K2
K2 = 16.5 – 5.07 = 11.43 km
So the height of the lighthouse can be solve by:
h2’ = 0.0675 K22
h2’ = 0.0675(11.43)2
h2’ = 8.82 meters//.

Example 2:
Determine the combined effect of curvature and refraction on level sights of
100m and and 2000 meters.
Given: K = 100m and 2000 m
Solution: Since the given value of K is in meters we have to convert them
into kilometers. And 1 kl=1000m

For K = 100m For K=1000m

h’ = 0.0675(100/1000)2 h’ = 0.0675(1000/1000)2
= 6.75x10-4m = 0.0675m