The Spring Line is the point where the dome starts to curve. With superadobe structures you can build the dome atop a cylinder. With very small domes you would bump your head unless you were in the very center and a 6 ft dome, some folks (not me) would bump their head even in the center. The spring line gives you appropriate headroom. I am one or two rows from the spring line, but I screwed in the chain so in a few days we will be getting smaller and smaller toward the center.