A captive balloon used to maintain meteorological equipment aloft at approximately a constant height. The kytoon is streamlined and combines the aerodynamic properties of a balloon and a kite.

The value of the quantity measured, as indicated or otherwise provided by a measuring instrument.

Capacity of a soil or other surface to be penetrated by water sinking into the ground under the force of gravity. It thus expresses the rate of percolation.

Similar to the spectroheliograph, but used for visual instead of photographic purposes.

A conductor or system of conductors for radiating and/or receiving radio energy. Also called aerial.

Instrument used to measure the amount of water evaporated from the soil surface during a given time interval.

An instrument which measures the intensity of radiation by determining the amount of chemical change( or fluorescence produced by that radiation.

Pertaining to measurements or devices in which the output vanes in discrete steps, i.e. on-off or pulse signals. Compare to analog.

Apparatus using the combined simultaneous action of a bimetallic thermometer and a hair hygrometer to move a needle in front of a divided scale. fts construction permits dew point variations to be indicated approximately.

The state of the atmosphere, mainly with respect to its effects upon life and human activities. As distinguished from climate, weather consists of the short-term (minutes to months) variations of the atmosphere.

A type of electrical thermometer in which the thermal element is a substance whose electrical resistance varies with the temperature. Such thermometers can be made with very short time constants and are capable of highly accurate measurements.

The difference between the outgoing infrared terrestrial radiation of the earth's surface and the downcoming infrared counterradiation from the atmosphere.

The ratio of the amount of electromagnetic radiation reflected by a body to the amount incipient upon it, commonly expressed as a percentage. The albedo is to be distinguished from the reflectivity, which refers to one specific wavelength.

The total of all deviations of a transducer's output from a specified straight line in a constant environment.

The play or loose motion in an instrument due to the clearance existing between mechanically contacting parts.

In general. the severe wind of an intense tropical cyclone (hurricane or typhoon). The term has no further technical connotation, but, unfortunately, is easily conftlsed with the strictly defined hurricane-force wind,

A device for measuring the river stage. Also called stream gauge.

An instrument for determining the direction from which radio waves approach a receiver. It may consist of a manually operated direction indicator, or it may use a servo system to position the antenna automatically in the direction of the incident waves.

A mercury barometer designed for use aboard ship. The instrument is of the fixed-cistern type (see Kew barometer). The mercury tube is constructed with a wide bore for its upper portion and with a capillary bore for its lower portion. This is done to incr ...

See hurricane beacon.