A radiosonde is a small, expendable instrument package carried aloft, typically by a weather balloon, to measure atmospheric conditions such as temperature, humidity and pressure as it rises through the atmosphere, transmitting its readings back to a ground station by radio in real time, with its changing position also used to calculate wind speed and direction at different altitudes. The instrument was developed in the early 1930s, with early practical radiosonde designs demonstrated at nearly the same time by the French meteorologist Robert Bureau and the Soviet scientist Pavel Molchanov, whose 1930 radiosonde flight is often cited as the first fully successful demonstration of the technique. Radiosondes launched twice daily from a global network of hundreds of weather stations remain, despite the rise of satellite and remote-sensing meteorology, one of the primary sources of detailed, direct vertical atmospheric profile data used in weather forecasting, climate research and the calibration of satellite instruments.
Facts
Invented YearRobert Bureau built the first true radiosonde, coined the name, and flew it on January 7, 1929, in France; Pavel Molchanov independently flew his own design a year later. Measuresatmospheric pressure, temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, altitude, cosmic ray readings and geographic position, transmitted by radio as the instrument ascends 1 Operating PrincipleA battery-powered package of sensors is carried aloft by a hydrogen or helium balloon and radios its atmospheric readings to a ground receiver in real time as it ascends, until the balloon bursts from expansion at low pressure. 1 Resolutionvertical resolution of 30 m (98 ft) or less 1 Operating Rangealtitude coverage of about 30 km (19 mi) 1 Classification
Instrument ClassMeasurement or Metrology Instrument 1 Connections
Used In
Meteorology, Disciplines The radiosonde is a balloon-borne instrument package that radios back atmospheric pressure, temperature and humidity profiles, the backbone of upper-air meteorology since Pavel Molchanov's 1930 design.
Sources
1. Radiosonde (Wikipedia)
WikipediaWikipedia, Radiosonde article, History section, describing Robert Bureau
The first true radiosonde that sent precise encoded telemetry from weather sensors was invented in France by Robert Bureau. Bureau coined the name "radiosonde" and flew the first instrument on January 7, 1929.
Wikipedia, Radiosonde article, lead section, listing measured variables
Modern radiosondes measure or calculate the following variables: altitude, pressure, temperature, relative humidity, wind (both wind speed and wind direction), cosmic ray readings at high altitude and geographical position (latitude/longitude).
Wikipedia, Radiosonde article, lead section, first sentence
A radiosonde is a battery-powered telemetry instrument carried into the atmosphere usually by a weather balloon that measures various atmospheric parameters and transmits them by radio to a ground receiver.
Wikipedia, Radiosonde article, History section, altitude coverage figure
Although modern remote sensing by satellites, aircraft and ground sensors is an increasing source of atmospheric data, none of these systems can match the vertical resolution (30 m (98 ft) or less) and altitude coverage (30 km (19 mi)) of radiosonde observations, so they remain essential to modern meteorology.
Wikipedia, Radiosonde article, History section, vertical resolution figure
Although modern remote sensing by satellites, aircraft and ground sensors is an increasing source of atmospheric data, none of these systems can match the vertical resolution (30 m (98 ft) or less) and altitude coverage (30 km (19 mi)) of radiosonde observations, so they remain essential to modern meteorology.
Lede, instrument class
A radiosonde is a small, expendable instrument package carried aloft, typically by a weather balloon, to measure atmospheric conditions such as temperature, humidity and pressure as it rises through the atmosphere, transmitting its readings back to a ground station by radio in real time, with its changing position also used to calculate wind speed and direction at different altitudes.
View the Source Reader Challenges (0)
No disputes yet. Spotted an error or a better source? Open the first one.
Sign in to dispute this or suggest a correction.