An absolute instrument developed by K. Angstrom for the measurement of direct solar radiation. The radiation receiver station consists of two identical manganin strips whose temperatures are measured by attached thermocouples. One of the strips is shaded, ...

An apparatus, used in studying soil temperatures, for measuring the total supply of heat during a given period.

A form of psychrometer with wet-bulb and dry-bulb thermometers mounted on opposite sides of a specialty designed graph of the psychrometric tables. It is so arranged that the intersections of two curves determined by the wet-bulb and dry-bulb readings -yi ...

A graphical device used for the determination of the speed of the geostrophic wind from the isobar or contour-line spacing on a synoptic chart.

The state of the weather with respect to its effect upon the kindling and spreading of forest fires.

A recording weight barometer.

Technically, the temperature registered by the dry-bulb thermometer of a psychrometer. However, it is identical with the temperature of the air and may also be used in that sense.

An increase or amplification. There are two general usages of the term in radar meteorology: (a) antenna gain (or gain factor) is the ratio of the power transmitted along the beam axis to that of an isotropic radiator transmitting the same total power; an ...

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 ...

An instrument used to measure and record earthquake vibrations and other earth tremors.

The time required for an instrument to register a designated percentage (frequently 90%) of a step change in the variable being measured.

The condition of the atmosphere when the amount of water vapor present is the maximum possible at the existing temperature.

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

Snow shower, particularly of a very light and brief nature.

See standard atmosphere.

The total area drained by a river and its tributaries. Same as river basin.

The transducer of any hygrometer, i.e. that part of a hygrometer that quantitatively "senses" atmospheric water vapor.

Same as wind sock.

Electromagnetic radiation of very short wavelength. lying within the wavelength interval of 0.1 to 1.5 angstroms (between gamma rays and ultraviolet radiation). X-rays penetrate various thicknesses of all solids, and they act on photographic plates in the ...

A hypothetical temperature characterized by a complete absence of heat and defined as 0 K, -273.15 C, or -459.67 F.