Surveyor in Training
tantamount
(adj.) equivalent, having the same meaning, value, or effect
attest
(v.) to bear witness, affirm to be true or genuine
Equation of a circle
(x-h)^2+(y-k)^2=r^2 (h,k) is the center, r is the radius
transit rule
- In balancing a survey, that the angular measurements are more precise than are those of chaining is the assumption base upon. Seldom used
Astronomical triangle
- the triangle formed by the north celestial pole, zenith, an the sun or star in the celestial sphere. PZS. Used to determine azimuth or latitude and longitude.
Balancing traverse steps
1. Compute angular error and adjust 2. Compute bearings of each leg 3. Compute latitude and departure of each leg. 4. Compute error of closure 5. Compute latitude and departure corrections 6. Adjust
Order of conflicting call in boundary law
1. Right of possession (written or unwritten) 2. Senior rights (in case of overlaps) 3. Written intention of parties 1.Call for an actual conveying survey 2.Call for monuments A. Natural monuments B. Artificial monuments 4. Adjoined 5. Direction and distance 6. Direction or distance 7. Area 8. Coordinates
Byte
8 bits
Incorporated business
A business model in which the business and the owner(s) have separate legal identities
atomic clock
A clock regulated by the resonance frequency of atoms or molecules. Within GPS satellites the elements used include cesium, hydrogen and rubidium.
State Plane Coordinate System
A coordinate system developed in the 1930's to permanently record original land survey monument locations in the US. Most states have more than one zone based on the SPC27 or SPC83 system
Warranty Deed
A deed in which the grantor makes formal assurance as to quality of title.
Quitclaim Deed
A deed to relinquish any interest in property which the grantor may have, without any warranty of title or interest.
Certificate of Survey
A document containing a statement dated and signed by a cadastral surveyor to the effect that a survey has been executed in strict conformity with the special instructions, the Manual of Instructions, and in the specific manner described in the field notes with which it is filed.
Bureau of Land Management
A federal bureau within the Department of the Interior which manages and controls certain lands owned by the United States. Created 1946
Clinometer
A hand held instrument used to measure vertical angles or the inclination of a slope. Also called an Abney Level.
Chain of Title
A history of the ownership affecting title to a parcel of land.
Azimuth
A horizontal angle measured clockwise from north. To compute azimuth with one known azimuth and angles from traverse remember to + or - 180 and subtract 360 when over 360.
acre
A measure of land equal to 43,560 square feet.
least squares
A method of adjusting a traverse that is adaptable to any traverse. It is difficult and seldom used.
Crandall
A method of adjusting a traverse used when angular accuracy is higher. More accurate than transit method. Seldom used.
Avulsion
A river's sudden change in flow alignment out from its previous left and right banks to a new channel, leaving an identifiable upland area between the abandoned channel and the new channel.
Certified federal surveyor
A surveyor's additional endorsement for boundary work for BIA, Tribes and adjacent Indian Trust Lands in addition to the State Certification.
Automatic level
A surveyor's level whose line of sight is automatically maintained in the horizontal plane, once the instrument is roughly leveled.
Metes and Bounds
A term used in describing the boundary lines of land, setting forth all the boundary lines together with their terminal points and angles. Metes (length or measurements) and Bounds (boundaries) description is often used when a great deal of accuracy is required.
arbitrator
A third party to a negotiation who has the authority to dictate an agreement.
Accuracy vs. Precision
Accuracy refers to final result of measurement and indicates reduced systematic errors. Precision refers to the procedure by which the result was obtained and indicates reduced random errors.
Compass Rule
An adjustment of a traverse where distances and angles collected with same degree of confidence and precision. Gives nearly same accuracy as least squares. It is used in the majority of traverses. The difference between latitude (northing) and departure (easting) of closure is distributed over traverse. The adjustment is applied to each leg in proportion to it length within the entire traverse. (Length of leg/entire traverse length)x total error
claimant
An individual, corporation, association, State or local government, etc., asserting title or rights in land.
agonic line
An irregular imaginary line across the surface of the Earth along which the magnetic and geographic poles are in alignment, and along which there is no magnetic variation (no declination).
deflection angle
Angle between the line and the prolongation of the preceding line
Datum
Any surface to which elevations are referred (for example, mean sea level).
EDM sources of error
Atmospheric conditions Uncertainty of offset correction of prism Frequency drift (needs calibration) Tribrach needs adjustment
Curvature of earth correction
C=0.024F^2 Always negative F= distance in thousands of feet
Declination and Right Ascension
Celestial coordinates system on the festival sphere. Declination is the angular distance north or south of the equator (+ or -) corresponds with latitude. Right ascension is the arc distance measured eastward along the celestial equator from the vernal equinox, it corresponds with longitude.
aliquot
Contained an exact number of times in another; a part of a measurement that divides the measurement without a remainder.
Convert magnetic bearings to true bearings
Counterclockwise for W declination and clockwise for E declination from given magnetic bearing, which equals true bearing
spherical excess
Difference between the angles of a plane triangle and spherical triangle
nadir
Direction pointing directly down, in the direction of the force of gravity, at a location on earth. Direction opposite the zenith.
Longitude
Distance east or west of the prime meridian, measured in degrees. Lines called meridians
Parallax error
Error caused by not having your eye directly in line with the measurement. Can prevented by darkening cross hairs and focusing instrument.
Aliunde
From another source. Evidence aliunde is evidence from outside or from another source
Refraction correction
H= 0.0206F^2 F= distance in 1000s of feet
altitude
In astronomy the angular distance measured from the horizon to a celestial body. The vertical angle.
spirit level
Instrument or tool capable of vertical(plumb) and horizontal(level) line check. Aka bubble level.
breaking chain
Measurements less than a full chain length that are used when chaining a slope.
Median
Middle number
Navigable Rivers
Must be "navigable in fact" or "navigable in statute" (remains 30 feet wide from mouth and upstream). Property lines typically stop at bank or before.
Polaris
North Star. Very near true north (poles) from any point in the northern hemisphere. Latitude of an observer is equal to the angle between "this star" and horizon.
cardinal directions
North, South, East, West
serial interface
One way a computer transmits data. Bits are transmitted as a series of pulses on one wire. (Mouse)
parallel interface
One way a computer transmits data. Each bit sent at the same time on separate wires(Printer)
Cadastral Survey
Original survey, resurvey, or retracement of public lands within the public land survey system of the United States for restoration of property lines
Angles of astronomical triangle
Parallactic angle (angle S), azimuth angle (angle Z), and angle t (angle P).
zenith
Point on the celestial sphere directly above observer. Opposite the nadir.
Sides of astronomical triangle
Polar distance (PS), coaltitude (SZ), and colatitude (PZ).
Pole zenith star
Pzs triangle stands for
slope
Rise over run. Y2-y1/x2-x1
Refraction
The bending of a wave as it passes at an angle from one medium to another. In surveying it refers to the bending of light that makes objects appear higher than it actually is.
Clock bias
The discrepancy between a GPS receivers clock and the satellite's clock and a reference such as Coordinated Universal Time or International Atomic Time.
Vernal Equinox
The point where the sun crosses the celestial equator. The point of reference for right ascension.
Adjudication
The pronouncing of a judgment or decree in a cause; also the judgment given
ratio of error
The ratio of the error of closure to perimeter of traverse. ratio of error = error of closure of traverse / perimeter = 0.26925/2142.93 = 1/7959 this would be rounded to 1/8000
Easement
The right to use the land of another for a particular purpose.
chain
The unit of length prescribed by law for the survey of the public lands of the United States. The chain is equivalent to 66 feet or 4 rods, poles or perches. 10 square chains equals one acre.
Mode
The value that occurs most frequently in a given data set.
Partnership
a business organization owned by two or more persons who agree on a specific division of responsibilities and profits. Least used in US.
Sole Proprietorship
a business owned and managed by a single individual
Corporation
a company or group of people authorized to act as a single entity (legally a person) and recognized as such in law.
Limited Liability Company (LLC)
a form of business ownership that offers both limited liability to its owners and flexible tax treatment
Ecliptic
a great circle on the celestial sphere representing the sun's apparent path during the year, so called because lunar and solar eclipses can occur only when the moon crosses it.
plumb line
a line directed to the center of gravity of the earth; a line with a weight at one end to determine verticallity
Tropic of cancer
a line of latitude about 23 1/2 degrees North of the equator where the sun is directly overhead on June 22
Tropic of Capricorn
a line of latitude about 23 degrees South of the equator where the sun is directly overhead on December 22
Cramer's Rule
a method that uses determinants to solve a system of linear equations
hectare
a metric unit of square measure, equal to 100 ares (2.471 acres or 10,000 square meters).
completing the square
a process used to make a quadratic expression into a perfect square trinomial
affidavit
a sworn written statement
ephemeris
a table or data file giving the calculated positions of a celestial object at regular intervals throughout a period. Makes determining azimuth simpler, because it tabulates the GHA and declination of the sun and Polaris.
Matrices
an arrangement of numbers in rows and columns.
Parol Evidence
any oral or written words outside the four corners of a written contract. May only be used to explain ambiguous parts of the deed. Usually not admissible in court.
mean
average
abut
border upon; adjoin
ALTA Survey
boundary survey prepared to a set of minimum standards that have been jointly prepared and adopted by the (American Land Title Association and American Congress on Surveying and Mapping). Additionally, it shows improvements, easements, rights-of-way, and other elements impacting the ownership of land. It is often prepared for commercial properties, as it will provide the title company with the information required to insure the title to the land and improvements to the high degree that a commercial development may require.
Latitude
distance north or south of the Equator, measured in degrees
limited partnership
form of partnership where one or more partners are not active in the daily running of the business, and whose liability for the partnership's debt is restricted to the amount invested in the business
accretion
growth in size or increase in amount. Usually from deposits from a river.
surplusage
irrelevant matter in a proceeding; excessive verbiage
infrared light
light that has longer wavelengths, penetrates more deeply, has less energy, and produces more heat than visible light; makes up 60 percent of natural sunlight. Used in edm.
orthogonal
of or involving right angles; at right angles.
Isogonic Chart
shows magnetic declination. Map of North American continent which has the lines and degree readings showing the difference between True North and Magnetic North
dendrology
study of trees
magnetic declination
the difference between the magnetic north and the true north
horizon
the line at which the sky and Earth appear to meet. In practical astronomy it is perpendicular to the observers plumb line projected to the festival sphere.
Radians
the measure of an angle obtained by dividing the length of the arc by the radius.
Geoid
the shape that the surface of the oceans would take under the influence of Earth's gravitation and rotation alone, in the absence of other influences such as winds and tides.
Alluvium
the sorted material deposited by a stream
angle of repose
the steepest angle at which a sloping surface formed of a particular loose material is stable.
geology
the study of the origin, history, and structure of Earth
Adverse Possession
when the land of another private person is adversely and exclusively possessed in an open and notorious way
