The total electromagnetic radiation emitted by the sun. About 99.9 percent of its energy output falls within the wavelength interval from 0. 15 microns to 4.0 microns, with peak intensity near 0.47 microns. About one-half of the total energy in the solar ...

Abbreviation for mean sea level.

A unit of energy equal to 1.356joules.

An instrument, for the recording of two or more meteorological parameters, in which the ventilation is provided by a suction fan.

A system of physical units based on the use of the centimeter, gram. and the second as elementary quantities of length. mass. and time.

Operation mode of a communication circuit in which each end can transmit and receive, but not simultaneously.

Thermometer in which the difference in the rates of expansion with temperature of a liquid and its receptacle is used as a measure of the temperature. The liquid used may be ethyl alcohol, toluene, petroleum, or mercury.

The physical exposure of an instrument. The effect of immediate environment upon the representativeness of the measurements obtained by meteorological instruments is considerable and not always correctable. The purpose of the instrument shelter is to prov ...

Programmable Read-Only Memory. Read-only memory which can be programmed by the user using a special hardware programmer.

See instrument error, observational error. random error, standard error, systematic error.

Same as wind sock.

Clouds which cover between 6/10 and 9/10 of the sky. See Sky Terminology.

Rain gauge which registers precipitation that is too light to be registered by ordinary recording of the depth of water from precipitation. Same as ombrometer.

An instrument which automatically records the voltage applied to it, as a function of time.

An instrument used to determine atmospheric pressure or elevation by observing the boiling point of water or both liquids. The sensitivity of the hypsometer increases with decreasing pressure, making it more useful for high altitude work.

A device used to switch electrical current at a selectable setpoint temperature.

Formation of a single water drop by the union of two or more colliding drops.

The audio-frequency signal transmitted by the Diamond-Hinman radiosonde when the baroswitch pen passes each fifth contact of the commutator up to a number determined by the design of the commutator. It then signals every contact except the fifth, which is ...

A vent used with pressure sensors to reduce the effect of wind on the pressure inlet. It is normally mounted remotely and connected to the sensor using airtight tubing.

An instrument for measuring the pressure of the atmosphere. The two principle types are aneroid and mercurial.