2006-07-09 07:50:41 · 11 answers · asked by Anonymous in Travel ➔ United States ➔ Other - United States
Until the last 20 years or so, the U.S.G.S. used a Surveying Altimeter... I have one... it's got a 5 inch dial and is accurate to the inch. The operator would set the dial at 0 or just take a reading and record it, then at the top of the mountain he could read the altitude directly or could read it then subtract the precious reading.
Today, they use GPS and many of the mountain heights have been corrected using this new technology.
2006-07-09 08:09:08 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 1⤋
They are measured in feet. A mountain has to be a certain height in order to be called a mountain. Satellites are used to measure height.
2006-07-09 07:53:53 · answer #2 · answered by Justsyd 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
pretty sure they use trigonometry with lasers. I saw a Nova show where some British scientists a couple hundred years ago tried to measure mountains in France. they though that they were spies and killed and tortured them. but now they use lasers and trigonometry they used to use telescopes like in France and measured the degrees and distance to the mountain. I suppose you could use an altimeter as well. hope this has been helpful.
2006-07-09 08:00:27 · answer #3 · answered by cosmologist dude 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
there's a discrepancy interior the easily measurement of Mount Olympus. because the measurements are actual estimations from the images of the Mariner 9, effects for the height of the volcano determination from 22 to 29 kilometers (14 to 16 miles) extreme. also, a number of the measurements were made from the bottom of the mountain, even as others were finished from the crater surrounding it, Nix Olympica. --------------------------------------... i am hoping that is useful.
2016-10-14 06:57:04 · answer #4 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Global positioning device, I think. I know that is one of the ways they measured the upward displacement of the ocean floor along the faultline under the Indian Ocean, after the big December, 2004 tsunami.
2006-07-09 08:03:59 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
You can use surveying equipment. You basically use trigonometry to figure out the angle from a spot with known altitude and then compare that with the distance between the two spots.
These days, they can also measure it with cameras on airplanes or satellites. (Not exactly sure how that works.)
2006-07-09 07:55:00 · answer #6 · answered by foofoo19472 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Pythagorean theorem: they use a controlled angle, and a known distance from the mountain base:
Given a known base, and a known angle they can figure out the rest.... ( I forget the rest!)
2006-07-09 07:56:10 · answer #7 · answered by Yentl 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Normally, I would say from the base to the top or peak, but today, the best method might be by satillite radar imaging or similar range finding device
2006-07-09 07:54:03 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
tape measure
2006-07-09 07:53:32 · answer #9 · answered by corbin909 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
From sea level.
2006-07-09 07:57:56 · answer #10 · answered by dognhorsemom 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋