A pyranometer developed by M. Robitzsch. Its design utilizes three bimetallic strips which are exposed horizontally at the center of a hemispherical glass bowl. The outer strips are white reflectors and the center strip is a blackened absorber. The bimeta ...

A rocket designed primarily for routine upper air observations in the lower 250,000 feet of the atmosphere, especially that portion inaccessible to balloons (above 100,000 feet).

A high-altitude sounding system consisting of a small solid- propellant research rocket carried aloft by a large plastic balloon. The rocket is fired near the maximum altitude of the balloon flight.

Read Only Memory. A memory that cannot be altered in normal use of a computer, Usually used to store information permanently, such as firmware programs.

An instrument consisting of a series of graduated cylinders possessing selective collection efficiencies. It is used for the measurement of quantities relating to the size distribution of cloud droplets.

A type of anemometer in which the rotation of an element serves to measure the wind. Rotation anemometers are divided into two classes; those in which the axis of rotation is horizontal, such as the windmill anemometer, and those in which the axis of rota ...

A standard interface between a computer input/output port and a peripheral device. Signal properties including time duration, voltage. and current, are specified by the Electronic Industries Association.

A protocol similar to RS232 which makes use of differential transmission to provide high speed data transmission over significantly longer distances.

A protocol similar to RS232 which permits data interchange on multidrop networks of up to 32 nodes using a single twisted pair cable. In order for this protocol to be used, each device on a network must have some level of intelligence in order establish o ...

The portion of the precipitation on the land which ultimately reaches the streams. especially the water from rain or melted snow that flows over the surface.

The visibility along an identified runway, determined from a specified point on the runway with the observer facing in the same direction as a pilot using the runway. Compare to runway visible range.

The maximum distance along the runway at which the runway lights are visible to a pilot at touchdown. Runway visual range may be determined by an observer located at the end of the runway, facing in the direction of landing, or by means of a transmissomet ...

Any device or instrument for measuring salinity, especially one based on electrical conductivity methods.

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

A polariscope consisting of a specially constructed double plate polarizer and a tourmaline plate analyzer. Polarized light passing through the instrument is indicated by the presence of parallel colored fringes, while unpolarized light results in a unifo ...

The array of indicating marks and figure in relation to which the position of an index is observed, i.e. a scale plate on a recorder.

The process by which small particles suspended in a medium of a different refractive index diffuse a portion of the incident radiation in all directions. In scattering no energy transformation results, only a change in the spatial distribution of the radi ...

Solar radiation scattered by particles in the atmosphere.

A measure of the attenuation due to scattering, of light as it traverses a medium containing scattering particles.

Generic term for rapid variations in apparent position, brightness, or color of a distant luminous. object viewed through the atmosphere.