13. Practical Use and Care of Common Meteorological Instruments

Question 1

Term

Answer 1

Definition

Question 2

Anemometer

Answer 2

Measures wind speed using rotating cups or vanes.

Question 3

Barometer

Answer 3

An instrument that measures atmospheric pressure.

Question 4

Ceilometer

Answer 4

Uses a laser or other light source to determine the height of a cloud base.

Question 5

Dew Point Meter

Answer 5

Measures the atmospheric temperature below which water droplets begin to condense.

Question 6

Evaporimeter

Answer 6

Measures the rate of evaporation of water into the atmosphere.

Question 7

Hygrometer

Answer 7

Measures humidity by detecting changes in temperature or electrical resistance due to moisture.

Question 8

Rain Gauge

Answer 8

Collects and measures the amount of liquid precipitation over a set period.

Question 9

Snow Gauge

Answer 9

Measures the amount of snowfall, often converting snow depth into water equivalent.

Question 10

Thermometer

Answer 10

Measures air temperature using materials that change physical properties at different temperatures.

Question 11

Weather Balloon

Answer 11

Carries instruments aloft to collect and transmit atmospheric data.

Question 12

Wind Vane

Answer 12

Measures wind direction and is often used in conjunction with an anemometer.

Question 13

Solarimeter

Answer 13

Measures solar radiation intensity.

Question 14

Sling Psychrometer

Answer 14

A handheld device used to determine relative humidity through wet and dry bulb temperatures.

Question 15

Radiosonde

Answer 15

A battery-powered telemetry instrument carried into the atmosphere by a weather balloon to send back information on atmospheric parameters.

Question 16

Disdrometer

Answer 16

Measures the drop size distribution and velocity of falling hydrometeors.

Question 17

Weather Radar

Answer 17

Uses radio waves to detect precipitation, calculate its motion, and estimate its type (rain, snow, etc.).

Question 18

Automated Weather Station (AWS)

Answer 18

A facility with instruments and equipment for measuring atmospheric conditions to provide weather data automatically.

Question 19

Transmissometer

Answer 19

Measures the extent of light transmission through the atmosphere to determine visibility.

Question 20

LIDAR (Light Detection and Ranging)

Answer 20

Uses laser light to measure distances to the Earth and other surfaces.

Question 21

Pyranometer

Answer 21

Measures solar radiation received from a solid angle of the sky.

Question 22

Actinograph

Answer 22

Measures the intensity of solar radiation.

Question 23

Pluviometer

Answer 23

Another term for rain gauge, specifically referring to an instrument that measures the quantity of liquid precipitation.

Question 24

Nephoscope

Answer 24

Measures the speed and direction of clouds.

Question 25

Ombrometer

Answer 25

Instrument used to measure rainfall, typically a type of rain gauge.

Question 26

Tipping Bucket Rain Gauge

Answer 26

Measures rainfall using a mechanism that tips when a predetermined amount of precipitation falls.

Question 27

Weather Vane

Answer 27

Identifies wind direction and is designed to spin and point towards the source of the wind.

Question 28

Thermograph

Answer 28

An instrument that records temperature changes over time on a graph.

Question 29

Barograph

Answer 29

Records changes in atmospheric pressure over time using a barometer with a recording device.

Question 30

Hydrograph

Answer 30

Measures and records water level changes, such as in rivers or reservoirs.

Question 31

Windsock

Answer 31

A conical textile tube designed to indicate wind direction and relative wind speed.