The analysis of atmospheric factors affecting the value of vertical refraction angle with the assessment of the importance of introduction of the atmospheric amendment

Wroclaw University of Science and Technology, Faculty of Geoengineering, Mining and Geology, 27 Wyb. Wyspiańskiego St., 50-370 Wroclaw, Poland

^* Corresponding author: paulina.kaczor@pwr.edu.pl

Abstract

The study of vertical displacements of hydrotechnical objects, slender constructions, opencast mines or flotation waste reservoirs often requires continuous geodetic monitoring, which in real time defines potential threats resulting from changes in the geometry of the object. In order to ensure high accuracy in determining vertical displacements, a precise robotic tacheometer is used as one of the monitoring sensors. In the case of trigonometric leveling, the quality of measurements is affected not only by the accuracy of the instrument, but also by the centre through which the laser beam emitted by it passes. The radius emitted by the tacheometer due to the layered structure of the atmosphere is deflected, and the angle that it creates with the theoretical course of rays is called the angle of vertical refraction. In order to eliminate the influence of this type of errors, so-called atmospheric correction is introduced to all tacheometric measurements. Currently, total stations automatically determine and introduce corrections for observation, usually using only air temperature and atmospheric pressure. However, the number of factors responsible for the change in atmosphere density, and thus the deflection of the laser beam is much greater. And its influence is also affected by the length of the target and roughness of the area over which the measurement is made. The paper presents the analysis of the significance of various atmospheric and terrain factors that may affect the value of the vertical refraction angle. By the multiple regression method, with the use of the analyzed factors, equations describing the phenomenon of vertical refraction for four seasons have been designated. The defined equation coefficients were used to determine the refraction angle for the observations recorded on the post-flotation waste tank. To confirm the rightness of introducing an additional atmospheric correction, analyses were performed showing the percentage of corrected results.