(1) The initial component or the sensing element of a measuring system. For example, the receiver of a rain gauge is the funnel which captures the rain and the receiver of a thermoelectric thermometer is the measuring thermocouple. (2) An instrument used ...

A thermometer based upon the principle that the velocity of a sound wave is a function of the temperature of the medium through which it passes. Sonic thermometers possess very short time-constants and eliminate radiation error.

A balloon having a detachable tail which is released when the balloon has undergone a predetermined expansion. It thus serves to measure approximately the density of the atmosphere at the point of release.

An aneroid barometer with a scale graduated in altitude instead of pressure units.

A pointed device which indicates the amount of resistance encountered when it is forced into a material such as snow or soil. See ram penetrometer.

See gust and peak gust.

The mass density of a parcel of air expressed in units of mass per volume.

The height at which the maximum wind speed occurs, determined in a winds-aloft observation.

A hypothetical, ideal body which absorbs completely all incident radiation. independent of wavelength and direction. No actual substance behaves as a true black body, although platinum black and other soots rather closely approximate this ideal. However, ...

A unit of pressure equal to 10' dyne per cm-' (101 barye), 1000 millibars. 29.53 inches of mercury.

An instrument which measures combined direct solar radiation and diffuse sky radiation. See pyrheliometer, Robitzsch actinograph. solarimeter. See also albedometer.

Anemometer which measures wind speed by the speed of rotation of 3 or 4 hemispherical or conical cups, each fixed to the end of a horizontal arm projecting from a vertical axis. See condenser-discharge anemometer, contact anemometer. Compare to bridled-cu ...

Wind with a speed between 41 and 47 knots (47 and 54 mph); Beaufort scale number 9.

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.

Same as ceiling light.

A spring which is designed to achieve a fixed spring constant over a wide temperature range. Usually, this involves an alloy with high nickel content such as Ni-Span C. It is common for these springs to be stress relieved at elevated temperature after for ...

A unit of mass numerically equal to the molecular weight of the substance. The gram-mote or gram-molecule is the mass in grams numerically equal to the molecular weight, i.e. a gram-mole of oxygen is 32 grams.

A halo consisting of a faint white circle passing through the Sun and running parallel to the horizon for as much as 360

Wind with a speed between 28 and 33 knots (32 and 38 mph); Beaufort scale number 7.

in folklore, a name for fire.