Measuring Rock Layer Strike and Dip

The Brunton compass is used to measure the spatial orientation of rock layers and other rock features. Many rock units show planar surfaces or linear features. These include bedding surfaces, fault surfaces, fracture surfaces, joint surfaces, foliation, and mineral alignment.

These measurements g...

The role of geology is to understand the earth in four dimensions: spatial as well as time.

The Brunton compass, while over 100 years old, is still the primary tool for generating geologic field data. There are several key components of the compass, including the sighting arm, magnetic needle, clinometer, index pin, and bubble and clinomet...