Brunton compass
Encyclopedia
A Brunton compass, properly known as the Brunton Pocket Transit, is a type of precision compass
made by Brunton, Inc.
of Riverton, Wyoming
. The instrument was patented in 1894 by a Canadian-born Colorado geologist named David W. Brunton. Unlike most modern compasses, the Brunton Pocket Transit utilizes magnetic induction damping rather than fluid to damp needle oscillation. Although Brunton Inc. makes many other types of magnetic compasses, the Brunton Pocket Transit is a specialized instrument used widely by those needing to make accurate degree and angle measurements in the field. These people are primarily geologist
s, but archaeologists, environmental engineers, and surveyor
s also make use of the Brunton's capabilities. The United States Army
has adopted the Pocket Transit as the M2 Compass for use by crew-served artillery
.
The Pocket Transit may be adjusted for declination angle
according to one's location on the Earth. It is used to get directional degree measurements (azimuth) through use of the Earth's magnetic field
. Holding the compass at waist-height, the user looks down into the mirror and lines up the target, needle, and guide line that is on the mirror. Once all three are lined up and the compass is level, the reading for that azimuth can be made. Arguably the most frequent use for the Brunton in the field is the calculation of the strike and dip
of geological
features (faults, contacts, foliation
, sedimentary strata
, etc.). If next to the feature, the strike is measured by leveling (with the bull's eye level
) the compass along the plane being measured. Dip is taken by laying the side of the compass perpendicular to the strike measurement and rotating horizontal level until the bubble is stable and the reading has been made. If properly used and if field conditions allow, additional features of the compass allow users to measure such geological attributes from a distance.
As with most traditional compasses, directional measurements are made in reference to the Earth's magnetic field
and will thus run into difficulties if in a region of locally abnormal magnetism
. For example, if the user is near an outcrop that contains magnetite
or some other iron
-bearing material, compass readings can be affected anywhere from several inches from the outcrop
to tens of yards away (depending on the strength of the magnetic field). Since they are measured only using a rotating level
, dip measurements are unaffected by magnetic fields.
Compass
A compass is a navigational instrument that shows directions in a frame of reference that is stationary relative to the surface of the earth. The frame of reference defines the four cardinal directions – north, south, east, and west. Intermediate directions are also defined...
made by Brunton, Inc.
Brunton, Inc.
Brunton, Inc. is a manufacturer of technical gear for outdoor activity located in Riverton, Wyoming. Brunton is well known for innovation in the categories of recreational compasses and navigation gear, binoculars, backpacking equipment, family camping, GPS, headlamps, solar panels for portable...
of Riverton, Wyoming
Wyoming
Wyoming is a state in the mountain region of the Western United States. The western two thirds of the state is covered mostly with the mountain ranges and rangelands in the foothills of the Eastern Rocky Mountains, while the eastern third of the state is high elevation prairie known as the High...
. The instrument was patented in 1894 by a Canadian-born Colorado geologist named David W. Brunton. Unlike most modern compasses, the Brunton Pocket Transit utilizes magnetic induction damping rather than fluid to damp needle oscillation. Although Brunton Inc. makes many other types of magnetic compasses, the Brunton Pocket Transit is a specialized instrument used widely by those needing to make accurate degree and angle measurements in the field. These people are primarily geologist
Geologist
A geologist is a scientist who studies the solid and liquid matter that constitutes the Earth as well as the processes and history that has shaped it. Geologists usually engage in studying geology. Geologists, studying more of an applied science than a theoretical one, must approach Geology using...
s, but archaeologists, environmental engineers, and surveyor
Surveying
See Also: Public Land Survey SystemSurveying or land surveying is the technique, profession, and science of accurately determining the terrestrial or three-dimensional position of points and the distances and angles between them...
s also make use of the Brunton's capabilities. The United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
has adopted the Pocket Transit as the M2 Compass for use by crew-served artillery
Artillery
Originally applied to any group of infantry primarily armed with projectile weapons, artillery has over time become limited in meaning to refer only to those engines of war that operate by projection of munitions far beyond the range of effect of personal weapons...
.
The Pocket Transit may be adjusted for declination angle
Earth's magnetic field
Earth's magnetic field is the magnetic field that extends from the Earth's inner core to where it meets the solar wind, a stream of energetic particles emanating from the Sun...
according to one's location on the Earth. It is used to get directional degree measurements (azimuth) through use of the Earth's magnetic field
Earth's magnetic field
Earth's magnetic field is the magnetic field that extends from the Earth's inner core to where it meets the solar wind, a stream of energetic particles emanating from the Sun...
. Holding the compass at waist-height, the user looks down into the mirror and lines up the target, needle, and guide line that is on the mirror. Once all three are lined up and the compass is level, the reading for that azimuth can be made. Arguably the most frequent use for the Brunton in the field is the calculation of the strike and dip
Strike and dip
Strike and dip refer to the orientation or attitude of a geologic feature. The strike line of a bed, fault, or other planar feature is a line representing the intersection of that feature with a horizontal plane. On a geologic map, this is represented with a short straight line segment oriented...
of geological
Geology
Geology is the science comprising the study of solid Earth, the rocks of which it is composed, and the processes by which it evolves. Geology gives insight into the history of the Earth, as it provides the primary evidence for plate tectonics, the evolutionary history of life, and past climates...
features (faults, contacts, foliation
Foliation
In mathematics, a foliation is a geometric device used to study manifolds, consisting of an integrable subbundle of the tangent bundle. A foliation looks locally like a decomposition of the manifold as a union of parallel submanifolds of smaller dimension....
, sedimentary strata
Stratum
In geology and related fields, a stratum is a layer of sedimentary rock or soil with internally consistent characteristics that distinguish it from other layers...
, etc.). If next to the feature, the strike is measured by leveling (with the bull's eye level
Bull's eye level
A bull's eye level is a type of spirit level that allows for the leveling of planes in two dimensions - both the 'pitch' and 'roll' in nautical terms. Standard tubular levels only consider one dimension...
) the compass along the plane being measured. Dip is taken by laying the side of the compass perpendicular to the strike measurement and rotating horizontal level until the bubble is stable and the reading has been made. If properly used and if field conditions allow, additional features of the compass allow users to measure such geological attributes from a distance.
As with most traditional compasses, directional measurements are made in reference to the Earth's magnetic field
Earth's magnetic field
Earth's magnetic field is the magnetic field that extends from the Earth's inner core to where it meets the solar wind, a stream of energetic particles emanating from the Sun...
and will thus run into difficulties if in a region of locally abnormal magnetism
Magnetism
Magnetism is a property of materials that respond at an atomic or subatomic level to an applied magnetic field. Ferromagnetism is the strongest and most familiar type of magnetism. It is responsible for the behavior of permanent magnets, which produce their own persistent magnetic fields, as well...
. For example, if the user is near an outcrop that contains magnetite
Magnetite
Magnetite is a ferrimagnetic mineral with chemical formula Fe3O4, one of several iron oxides and a member of the spinel group. The chemical IUPAC name is iron oxide and the common chemical name is ferrous-ferric oxide. The formula for magnetite may also be written as FeO·Fe2O3, which is one part...
or some other iron
Iron
Iron is a chemical element with the symbol Fe and atomic number 26. It is a metal in the first transition series. It is the most common element forming the planet Earth as a whole, forming much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's crust...
-bearing material, compass readings can be affected anywhere from several inches from the outcrop
Outcrop
An outcrop is a visible exposure of bedrock or ancient superficial deposits on the surface of the Earth. -Features:Outcrops do not cover the majority of the Earth's land surface because in most places the bedrock or superficial deposits are covered by a mantle of soil and vegetation and cannot be...
to tens of yards away (depending on the strength of the magnetic field). Since they are measured only using a rotating level
Spirit level
A spirit level or bubble level is an instrument designed to indicate whether a surface ishorizontal or vertical . Different types of spirit levels may be used by carpenters, stonemasons, bricklayers, other building trades workers, surveyors, millwrights and other metalworkers, and in some...
, dip measurements are unaffected by magnetic fields.