High Precision Survey and Alignment of Large Linear Accelerators

For the future linear accelerator TESLA the demanded accuracy for the alignment of the components is 0.5 mm horizontal and 0.2 mm vertical, both on each 600 m section. Other accelerators require similar accuracies. These demands can not be fulfilled with open-air geodetic methods, mainly because of refraction. Therefore the RTRS (Rapid Tunnel Reference Surveyor), a measurement train performing overlapping multipoint alignment on a reference network is being developed. Two refraction-free realizations of this concept are being developed at the moment: the first one (GeLiS) measures the horizontal co-ordinates using stretched wires, combined with photogrammetric split-image sensors in a distance measurement configuration. In areas of the tunnel where the accelerator is following the earth curvature GeLiS measures the height using a new hydrostatic leveling system. The second concept (LiCAS) is based on laser straightness monitors (LSM) combined with frequency scanning interferometry (FSI) in an evacuated system. LiCAS measures both co-ordinates with respect to its LSM-beam and is thus suitable for geometrically straight tunnel sections. Both measurement systems will be placed on a train, which could do the reference survey autonomously.