NOTES ON THE USE OF ANEROID BAROMETERS IN THE GOLD COAST

Abstract

For several years it had been realized that aneroids in the Gold Coast showed a distinct lag in the readings when subject to fairly large changes of height. The range of height in the Colony, however, being relatively small and control heights fairly numerous, little interest was taken in the cause, which was generally thought to be due to hysteresis. * All aneroids in use on the Gold Coast are graduated on Airy's scale which is based on latitude 45° and temperature 50° F. In 1921 Mr. C. L. T. Griffith, at that time Chief Instructor of the Survey School, carried out various tests with a number of aneroids, and from these tests concluded that the main source of error arose from inappropriate graduation of the height-scale relative to pressure; using as constants latitude 15°, temperature 86° F., and mean humidity 67 per cent., he worked out a proposed general scale for the Tropics. Ten years later the purchase for test purposes of new aneroids graduated to this scale was considered but was eventually postponed when it was learnt that the question of a special scale for use in the Tropics was under consideration at home by a special Committee consisting of representatives of the Admiralty, War Office, Air Ministry, and National Physical Laboratory.     

NOTES ON GEODETIC WORK IN THE GOLD COAST

Abstract

The Gold Coast, including that portion of Togoland which is mandated to Great Britain, comprises an area of 91,843 square miles lying between the parallels 4° 45′ N. and 11°N. and the meridians 1° 10′ E. and 3° 10′ W. The greater part of the southern area is covered with dense forest, but in the north the forest gradually opens out to more open “orchard-bush”, while in the extreme north the country consists of rolling plains covered with tall elephant-grass.     

A NOTE ON THE TRIGONOMETRICAL SURVEY OF SOUTHERN RHODESIA

Abstract

After the completion of Simms's Geodetic Chain in 1901 and the publication of the results in 1905—Volume iii of the Geodetic Survey of South Africa—nothing further of a geodetic nature was done until 1928 when a short chain was run westwards from Simms's chain, at about latitude 17° 10′, to fix the Copper Queen mining area. The Eastern Circuit was commenced shortly after this; it runs from Salisbury eastwards to the Portuguese Boundary, southwards through Umtali to about latitude 20° and then westwards, joining Simms's chain again to the east of Bulawayo. Another chain running north from Simms's work has been commenced near Bulawayo. The several series are exhibited on the outline map attached.     

TRIGONOMETRICAL LEVELLING ACROSS THE INLAND ICE IN NORTH GREENLAND

Abstract

As part of the scientific work of the British North Greenland Expedition (1952–1954), a programme of trigonometrical levelling was carried out from the east to the west coast of Greenland, along a line across the inland ice between latitudes 76° 40′ N., and 78° 10′ N. The primary purpose of the work was to determine accurately the heights above sea level of a series of gravity stations, the gravity measurements being made in connection with determinations of ice thickness. For meteorological purposes it was necessary to know also the altitude of the Expedition's central station, situated in latitude 78° 04′ N., longitude 38° 29′ W. The accuracy necessary for the purpose of the gravity survey was a few metres for the altitudes, while the latitude of each gravity station had to be determined with an accuracy of ± 0.1 minute.     

NOTES ON LEVELLING WITH THE ANEROID BAROMETER

Abstract

In chapter 5, page 12, of my “Report on a Rapid Geological Survey of the Gambia” (Gold Coast Geological Survey Bulletin, NO. 3) I have stated the opinion of Prof. Julius Hann of Vienna that the barometric curves may be analysed into two components:- <list list-type="alpha"> <list-item>

semi-diurnal, constant, depending on latitude and altitude (with a slight yearly alteration);</list-item> <list-item>

diurnal, depending chiefly on temperature (and humidity ?).</list-item> </list>     

MAPPING OUT OF CROWN LANDS IN CEYLON

Abstract

The Island of Ceylon has an extent of 25,332 square miles, and a population of nearly seven millions; the range of latitude is from 5° 55′ to 9° 50′ North and of longitude 79° 42′ to 81° 53′ East.     

GEOGRAPHICAL POSITIONS IN MALAYA AND SIAM

Abstract

Malaya.—The geographical positions of points in the “Primary Triangulation of Malaya”, published in 1917, depend upon latitude and azimuth determinations at Bukit Asa and on the longitude of Fort Cornwallis Flagstaff, Penang, the latter being supposed to be 100° 20′ 44″.4 E. This value was obtained by Commander (later Admiral) Mostyn Field in H.M.S. Egeria 1893, by the exchange of telegraphic signals with Mr Angus Sutherland at Singapore, Old Transit Circle. The longitude, 103° 51′ 15″.75 E., accepted for Singa- pore in order to arrive at this determination of Fort Cornwallis Flagstaff, was based upon that of an Observation Spot, 103° 51′ 15″.00 E., fixed in 1881 by Lieutenant Commander Green, United States Navy, by meridian distance from the transit circle ofMadras Observatory, the corresponding longitude of the latter being taken as 80° 14′ 51″.51 E.     

ON THE LAMBERT CONFORMAL PROJECTION AS APPLIED IN CHINA

Abstract

There are no proper projections for use in geodetic work in a country which has great extensions both in latitude and longitude. For, if a single projection of any kind be applied in such a case, the linear and angular distortions would be so great at the boundary that it is very difficult or even impossible to apply the corrections to them. In order to render it possible for any projection to be applied, the area in question should be divided either into strips bounded by meridians or into zones bounded by parallels. In the former case the Transverse Mercator or Gauss’ projection may be used, while in the latter, the Lambert conformal projection is the most suitable. China is such a country as that mentioned above. It covers an area extending from 16°N. to 53°N. in latitude and of no less than sixty-five degrees in longitude. The problem of choosing a projection for geodetic work depends only on how the area is to be divided. It has been decided by the Central Land Survey of China to adopt the Lambert conformal projection as the basis for the co-ordinate system, and, in order to meet the requirements of geodetic work, the whole country is subdivided into eleven zones bounded by parallels including a spacing of 3½ degrees in latitude-difference. To each of these zones is applied a Lambert projection, properly chosen so as to fit it best. The two standard parallels of the projection are situated at one-seventh of the latitude-difference of the zone from the top and bottom. Thus, the spacing between the standard parallels is 2½ degrees. This gives a maximum value of the scale factor of less than one part in four thousand, thus reducing the distortions of any kind to a reasonable amount. The area between these parallels belongs to the zone proper, while those outside are the overlapping regions with the adjacent ones. All the zones can be extended indefinitely both eastwards and westwards to include the boundaries of the country.     

MAP REPRODUCTION IN THE TROPICS

Abstract

The useful paper on “Map Printing in Ceylon” which was written by Mr. W. S. Maddams of the Ceylon Survey Department for the 1935 Conference of Empire Survey Officers has been read with interest in the Gold Coast. The writer of the present note was not present at the Conference but has read the report of the discussion on that paper. It appears to him that Mr. Maddams makes certain generalizations, based on his own, experience in Ceylon, regarding map reproduction in the Tropics and, however true these statements may be as regards Ceylon, they certainly do not apply to the Gold Coast and probably not to some other tropical countries. As it is possible that another Colony, when starting a map-printing establishment of its own, might be led, on the strength of the paper read at the Conference, to believe that less expensive (though less elaborate) methods than those used in Ceylon are not possible in a tropical country, the following notes on the methods used and found successful in the Gold Coast may be of some value. They are not intended to be a criticism of Mr. Maddams' paper but only to supplement it with a record of experience obtained in another part of the world.     

BASE MEASUREMENT IN THE ANGLO-EGYPTIAN SUDAN

Abstract

Since 1899 cadastral mapping in the Sudan has been concentrated along the banks of the Nile from the Egyptian frontier to latitude 13°N., in the towns, and in the area of the Gezira, south of Khartoum, where cotton has been developed. These surveys were controlled by theodolite and steel tape either in the form of traverses or rectangulation. The early triangulation was used mainly to control topographical surveys, for it was essential to cover the whole country as rapidly as possible with a series of maps on scale 1: 250,000. As a consequence much of this early triangulation is of a relatively low order of accuracy, indifferently marked on the ground, and unfit for inclusion in a framework for medium and large scale mapping.     

STANDARDIZING EQUIPMENT OF THE GOLD COAST SURVEY DEPARTMENT

Abstract

The following account of the standardizing equipment of the Gold Coast Survey Department has been written, at the request of the Editor of the Review, because this equipment includes a completely enclosed standard of length 300 feet long which is believed to be one of the very few enclosed standards of this length in any of the Crown Colonies.     

THE GEODETIC EVIDENCE CONCERNING WEGENER'S HYPOTHESIS

Abstract

Before concluding the discussion of longitudes, a few notes have been collected to illustrate the kind of discordance which can be found in longitude determinations of a higher class than those reviewed above. In the 1926 World Determination of Longitudes, the U.S. Coast and Geodetic Survey parties at Niu, near Honolulu, made observations which disclose some ranges in derived longitudes which may be regarded as representative.     

NORTH BORNEO LAND AND SURVEY RECORDS DURING THE JAPANESE OCCUPATION

Abstract

The Japanese began their administration by dividing the territory into two civil governorates. The Interior, the West Coast and Kudat formed one governorate, and the East Coast including Sandakan, Lahad Datu and Tawau the other.     

Statistics of GPS ionospheric scintillation and irregularities over polar regions at solar minimum

A statistical study of the occurrence characteristic of GPS ionospheric scintillation and irregularity in the polar latitude is presented. These measurements were made at Ny-Alesund, Svalbard [78.9°N, 11.9°E; 75.8°N corrected geomagnetic latitude (CGMLat)] and Larsemann Hills, East Antarctica (69.4°S, 76.4°E; 74.6°S CGMLat) during 2007–2008. It is found that the GPS phase scintillation and irregularity activity mainly takes place in the months 10, 11 and 12 at Ny-Alesund, and in the months 5, 6 at Larsemann Hills. The seasonal pattern of phase scintillation with respect to the station indicates that the GPS phase scintillation occurrence is a local winter phenomenon, which shows consistent results with past studies of 250 MHz satellite beacon measurements. The occurrence rates of GPS amplitude scintillation at the two stations are below 1%. A comparison with the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) B _y and B _z components shows that the phase scintillation occurrence level is higher during the period from later afternoon to sunset (16–19 h) at Ny-Alesund, and from sunset to pre-midnight (18–23 h) at Larsemann Hills for negative IMF components. The findings seem to indicate that the dependence of scintillation and irregularity occurrence on geomagnetic activity appears to be associated with the magnetic local time (MLT).     

Ultra-high degree spherical harmonic analysis and synthesis using extended-range arithmetic

We present software for spherical harmonic analysis (SHA) and spherical harmonic synthesis (SHS), which can be used for essentially arbitrary degrees and all co-latitudes in the interval (0°, 180°). The routines use extended-range floating-point arithmetic, in particular for the computation of the associated Legendre functions. The price to be paid is an increased computation time; for degree 3,000, the extended-range arithmetic SHS program takes 49 times longer than its standard arithmetic counterpart. The extended-range SHS and SHA routines allow us to test existing routines for SHA and SHS. A comparison with the publicly available SHS routine GEOGFG18 by Wenzel and HARMONIC SYNTH by Holmes and Pavlis confirms what is known about the stability of these programs. GEOGFG18 gives errors <1 mm for latitudes [-89°57.5′, 89°57.5′] and maximum degree 1,800. Higher degrees significantly limit the range of acceptable latitudes for a given accuracy. HARMONIC SYNTH gives good results up to degree 2,700 for almost the whole latitude range. The errors increase towards the North pole and exceed 1 mm at latitude 82° for degree 2,700. For a maximum degree 3,000, HARMONIC SYNTH produces errors exceeding 1 mm at latitudes of about 60°, whereas GEOGFG18 is limited to latitudes below 45°. Further extending the latitudinal band towards the poles may produce errors of several metres for both programs. A SHA of a uniform random signal on the sphere shows significant errors beyond degree 1,700 for the SHA program SHA by Heck and Seitz.     

THE GEODETIC SURVEY OF CANADA

Abstract

Shortly after the inception of the Geodetic Survey of Canada in 1905, reconnaissance for primary triangulation was commenced in the Ottawa-Montreal area. About the same time, precise levelliilg operations were begun from a bench mark already established by the United States Coast and Geodetic Survey near the International border at Rouses Point in Quebec.     

INSTRUCTIONS FOR THE USE OF THE PRISMATIC ASTROLABE AND PROGRAMME FINDER

Abstract

The problem of finding the latitude and longitude of various points on the surface of the earth is one which has been studied for hundreds of years.     

AN AZIMUTH OBSERVATION IN THE ALMUCANTAR

Abstract

The idea elaborated is that of making an oxtra-meridian altitude observation at a specific pre-chosen altitude, viz. an altitude equal to the known latitude of the place of observation; the reduction of the observation, to obtain the azimuth angle, is thereby simplified quite considerably.     

ASTRO FIX BY TWO EX-MERIDIAN STARS

Abstract

DR. DE GRAAFF-HUNTER proposed two new astronomical methods in a paper which he read at the Conference of Commonwealth Survey Officers, and the writer recently had an opportunity of trying out one' of these, with some interesting results. The method used, which requires timed intersections on a pair of stars in azimuths differingby about 90° and depends upon the alg'ebraic solution of the pair of position lines so formed*, will yield latitude, longitude and azimuth. The observations are brief and uncomplicated, prior identification unnecessary",and ~4e subsequent. computation is light: and requires no more than about thirty minutes for a pair of stars, inclusive of star identification.     

LONG LINES ON THE EARTH: VARIOUS FORMULAE

Abstract

Extensions were given for all these formulae, so that precise results may now be obtained even for lines of 500 miles in latitudes above 45°. The present instalment gives the extension of the Clarke approximate (sic) formulae to lines of 500miles, with a practical example and general conclusions: the great advantage of the method is that 8-figuretables sufficeto give rigorous results.