How Things Work: The Lowly but Important Spirit Vial - See more at:

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We depend on the spirit vial when using total stations (robotic and non-robotic), GPS (static and
RTK), differential leveling, even laser scanning. Sometimes the system we are using requires
more than one of them. And yet many of us give these devices little thought, even though they
are central to a determining and orienting instrumentation with respect to a fundamental concept
in surveyingthe direction of a vertical line.
Whether doing plane surveying or otherwise, surveyors begin with the direction of the vertical
the direction of gravity. The horizontal and level surfaces are defined with respect to this primary
direction. When we set up an instrument, whether total station, GPS, or differential level, the
manufacturer's assumption is that the surveyor sets it up with the mechanical vertical axis
aligned with the vertical. When we use a prism pole or level rod or antenna pole, the calculations
that are done using measurements to these devices assume that they are vertical at the time of
observation.
The process of aligning our instruments and peripheral devices to the direction of gravity is
called leveling. Even when so-called compensators are used, accurate use of the instrumentation
(or peripherals) is based on the absence of certain errors. These errors can be easily understood
(not always easily measured)but only if the surveyor understands how the designers of the
devices configured them. With this column I begin a series of articles to shed light on some of
the basic information (for many forgotten, for others simply not known or understood) about
spirit vials.
With a total station or theodolite, horizontal and vertical angle measurements are accurate only
when the horizontal and vertical circles are aligned with those directions. Typically distances are
measured on a slope with a total station or stand-alone EDM, but the correct vertical angle is
essential to resolving that distance into its horizontal and vertical components. With GPS and
total stations, errors in leveling can also result in errors in plumbing or centering. Similar types
of errors occur with prism and antenna poles, tribrachs, etc.
The level vial, whether tubular or circular, works because the inner surface of the top of the vial
is curved, usually as a circular or spherical arc. This curvature is created either by grinding the
inside of an otherwise horizontal glass surface, or, in the case of lower accuracy tubular vials,
bending a glass tube to achieve the necessary curvature. The gas bubble and the fluid in the vial,
because of gravity, arrange themselves so that the bubble is at the highest point in the vial. The
vial is mounted during the manufacturing process so that when the bubble in the vial is centered,
the surface to which it is mounted will be horizontal. The manufacturer then has the
responsibility for ensuring that all vertical parts of the instrument are perpendicular to this
direction and all horizontal parts of the instrument are parallel to this direction.
Level vials are usually specified by the amount of angular movement required to move the
bubble a specified distanceusually 2 mm. On many tubulars the markings to help you center
the level are 2 mm apart. On total stations, the tubular vial sensitivity tends to range between 20
and 40 arc seconds per 2 mm. On tribrachs, the range of sensitivity on the circular bubble, as

well as the circular bubble on automatic levels and total stations, is in the range of 8 to 10 arc
minutes. On prism and antenna poles the range of sensitivity is between 20 and 60 arc minutes,
i.e. between 1/3 and a whole degree. Sometimes bubble sensitivity is expressed as angular
change per 1/10 in, which is about 2.5 mm. Sometimes also, one may see bubble sensitivity
expressed as the radius of the arc of the circle or sphere represented by the curvature inside the
vial.
If the radius of curvature is used to express sensitivity, it is relatively easy to convert to the more
conventional angle per 2 mm as follows:
(") =

412.53
R (m)

where the radius is in meters and the resulting sensitivity is in arc seconds. The equation is
derived by determining the circumference of the entire circle (or sphere). Since 2 mm (0.002 m)
is that part of the circumference subtended by the central angle of in arc seconds, we can
determine the entire circumference by multiplying by 360 degrees (converting units as needed).
This circumference is equal to 2wR. We can now easily solve for (or R).
If you know the sensitivity of the vial and are curious about the radius of curvature, simply
rearrange the terms:
R(m)= 412.53
a()
It is important for the surveyor to know the bubble sensitivity of every bubble used in surveying
operations because errors are introduced due to our human fallibilities, the conditions we
encounter in the field, and the almost certain likelihood that the bubble is not in
adjustment. Thus the surveyor must be constantly evaluating the impact of errors in his or her
work due to improper (or inadequate) leveling. While we have compensators to take care of
correction in automatic and digital levels and in most modern theodolites and total stations, there
are further considerations that the surveyor must keep in mind.
The first is that the compensator itself must be periodically tested and adjusted it needed. An
improperly adjusted or calibrated compensator is as bad as, if not worse than, a level vial that is
out of adjustment. The second is that the compensator of these instruments takes care of only
some of the problems introduced by improperly leveled instruments and peripheral devices.
In the next column, I'll talk about those errors and how to evaluate them.
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