FIELDWORK INSTRUMENTS

SECTION A OF THE GEOGRAPHY (9-

MANAV PAL
11 GREEN
 FIELDWORK INSTRUMENTS
RIVER ENVIROMENTS
1. RANGING POLE
A ranging rod is a surveying instrument used for marking the position of stations and for
sightings of those stations as well as for ranging straight lines. Initially these were made of
light, thin and straight bamboo or of well-seasoned wood such as teak, pine or deodar

2. FLOW METER
The water flow meter incorporates true velocity averaging for the most accurate flow
measurements. The Flow Probe is ideal for storm water runoff studies, sewer flow
measurements, measuring flows in rivers and streams, and monitoring water velocity in
ditches and canals
3. TAPE MEASURE
Measuring channel width. Using a tape measure, hold one end at the point where the water
meets the bank one side of the channel. Ensure the tape is not twisted pull the tape
measure across the river and measure to the point where the water meets the bank directly
opposite.

4. CLINOMETER
A clinometer is a tool that is used to measure the angle of elevation, or angle from the
ground, in a right - angled triangle. You can use a clinometer to measure the height of tall
things that you can't possibly reach to the top of, flag poles, buildings, trees

You need to break up your river into short lengths which you can easily measure.
Measure out a stretch of water where you want to begin your survey. The length you
choose is up to you but a couple of points should be remembered.

1. Short sections of a couple of meters will give a very accurate profile, but you will
need to take many readings to cover a long stretch of river.
2. Long sections of 20m or more lose some detail and can generate difficulties around
meanders.

I find that anything from 5m to 15m is a good size stretch of river to survey per
measurement, depending on the variation in the river itself and the degree of detail I want
to record. There is nothing to stop you from choosing different distances every time you
take a measurement, but this can make record keeping very difficult and confusing. Unless
you have to alter your measuring length, keep it the same all the time.

Right, you've measured a length of river.

1. Now stand at one end of the stretch with a pole and your clinometer.
2. Get a helper to stand at the other end with the other pole.
 3. Make sure that both poles are vertical and the right way up ( It happens, people do
hold it upside down sometimes! )
4. Place your clinometer against the height mark on your pole and look through the
sight, adjusting the angle of the clinometer until you are looking directly at the
height mark on the other pole.
5. Taking care not to move the clinometer, look to see what angle is shown by the
string which will still be hanging vertically down.
6. Record the value NOW. Don't rely on your memory, get it written down.
7. Pick up your pole, walk to where your helper is standing.
8. Your helper now moves the same distance again along the river and you take
another reading.
9. Keep repeating this until you have surveyed the whole of your study area.

5. CALIPER
A caliper is a device used to measure the distance between two opposite sides of an object.
Many types of calipers permit reading out a measurement on a ruled scale, a dial, or a
digital display. But a caliper can be as simple as a compass with inward or outward-facing
points
POWER OF ROUNDNESS INDEX

EXTRA EQUIPMENT NEEDED

2. Beach profiling (quantitative, primary data-collection method)

A decision will need to be made about the number of transects to survey to create
a representative sample of the whole beach. Depending on the size of the beach, this can
be done via regular intervals that are equally spread apart, such as every 6 metres. For each
section, students will need to work in small groups using a measuring tape, ranging poles,
metre
ruler and a clinometer to measure the change in height and slope.

A. RANGING POLE
A ranging rod is a surveying instrument used for marking the position of stations and for
sightings of those stations as well as for ranging straight lines. Initially these were made of
light, thin and straight bamboo or of well-seasoned wood such as teak, pine or deodar
B. MEASURING TAPE
Measuring channel width. Using a tape measure, hold one end at the point where the water
meets the bank one side of the channel. Ensure the tape is not twisted pull the tape
measure across the river and measure to the point where the water meets the bank directly
opposite.

C. CLINOMETER
The clinometer is used to find the degree of the slope by
the help of two ranging pole.
D. CALIPER
A decision will need to be made about the number of sites to survey to create a
representative

sample of the coast. Depending on the size of the coast, this could be three sites. For each
site, students will need to work in small groups using calipers, powers of Roundness chart
and recording sheets to measure the change in the sediment characteristics of the coast.

3. ENVIROMENTAL SURVEY
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 HAZARDOUS ENVIROMENT
1. BAROMETER
This is an instrument that is used to measure atmospheric pressure. It can also be referred
to as Torricelli’s Tube that is the Torricelli invented this instrument

Barometers and pressure altimeters (the most basic and common type of altimeter) are
essentially the same instrument, but used for different purposes. An altimeter is intended to
be transported from place to place matching the atmospheric pressure to the
corresponding altitude, while a barometer is kept stationary and measures subtle pressure
changes caused by weather. The main exception to this is ships at sea, which can use a
barometer because their elevation does not change. Due to the presence of weather
systems, aircraft altimeters may need to be adjusted as they fly between regions of varying
normalized atmospheric pressure.
TYPES OF BAROMETER

A. WATER-BASED BAROMETER

B. MERCURY- BASED BAROMETER

C. ANEROID BAROMETER
This is a device for measuring atmospheric pressure without the use of fluids. It consists of a
partially evacuated metal chamber, the thin corrugated lid of which is displaced by
variations in the external air pressure
2. WEATHER VANE
This is a device that measures the direction of the wind. The wind vane is usually combined
with the anemometer. Wind direction is the direction from which the wind is blowing.
Although partly functional, weather vanes are generally decorative, often featuring the
traditional cockerel design with letters indicating the points of the compass. Other common
motifs include ships, arrows and horses. Not all weather vanes have pointers. The word
'vane' comes from the Old English word fana meaning 'flag'

3. RAIN GUAGE
This is an instrument used by meteorologists and hydrologists to gather and measure the
amount of liquid precipitation over a set period of time
4. SNOW GUAGE
This is a type of instrument used by meteorologists and hydrologists in Canada to gather
and measure the amount of solid precipitation (as opposed to liquid precipitation that is
measured by a rain gauge) over a set period of time.

The snow gauge consists of two parts, a copper catchment container and the funnel shaped
gauge itself. The actual gauge is mounted on a pipe outdoors and is approximately 1.5 m
(4 ft 11 in) high, while the container is 51.5 cm (4 ft 2.25 in) long

When snow is collected, the container is removed and replaced with a spare one. The snow
is then melted while it is still in the container, and then poured into a glass measuring
graduate. While the depth of snow is normally measured in centimeters, the measurement
of melted snow (water equivalent) is in millimeters.
An estimate of the snow depth can be obtained by multiplying the water equivalent by ten.
However, this multiplier can vary over a wide range (many say the range is 5 to 30, but
the National Snow and Ice Data Center has quoted a range as wide as 3 to 100), depending
on the water content of the snow (how "dry" it is), so this only provides, at best, a rough
estimate of snow depth

5. ANENOMETER
An anemometer is a device used for measuring wind speed, and is a common weather
station instrument. The term is derived from the Greek word anemos, which means wind, and
is used to describe any wind speed measurement instrument used in meteorology. The first
known description of an anemometer was given by Leon Battista Alberti in 1450.
6. WIND SOCK
This is a conical textile tube, which resembles a giant sock, designed to indicate wind
direction and relative wind speed.

7. THERMOMETER
A thermometer measures the air temperature. Most thermometers are closed glass tubes
containing liquids such as alcohol or mercury. When air around the tube heats the liquid,
the liquid expands and moves up the tube. A scale then shows what the actual temperature
is.
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