Compensator (geodesy)

In geodetic measuring instruments, a compensator is a component that automatically eliminates misalignments, especially for leveling .

• The height compensator (also called height index compensator ) is used in theodolites and total stations for the automatic alignment of the height index (zero point of the height circle ) in the vertical direction .
• Standing axis compensators eliminate the residual inclination of the standing axis of a theodolite or total station and thus its standing axis errors .
• Target axis compensators align the target axis horizontally on automatic leveling devices . The inevitable small residual error is called the horizon slope.