The accuracy of miniature bead thermistors in the measurement of upper air temperature

A laboratory study was made of the errors of miniature bead thermistors of 5, 10, and 15 mils nominal diameter when used for the measurement of atmospheric temperature. Although the study was primarily concerned with the errors of the thermistors when used in Meteorological rocket soundings between about 70 km and 30 km altitude the results are also valid for other applications of these thermistors at all altitudes down to sea level. Several distinct sources of error are present, and these have each been discussed and estimates of their magnitude made from laboratory tests. In general, all errors increase rapidly above about 50 km. Certain items which had not been fully considered in previous discussions of this problem hale been shown to be highly significant. In particular it is found that the lead wires play an important part in determining thermistor response, particularly at high altitude, and that the temperature rise of the thermistor due to solar radiation is strongly dependent on the radiation absorbed by the lead wires as well as by the bead proper.

Department dc:contributor.department

Massachusetts Institute of Technology. Department of Meteorology

Grantor dc:publisher

Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Year dc:date.issued

1967

Author dc:creator

• Thompson, Donald C. (Donald Charles), 1933-

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• D.P. Keily.

• Meteorology.

Statement dc:rights

• M.I.T. theses are protected by copyright. They may be viewed from this source for any purpose, but reproduction or distribution in any format is prohibited without written permission. See provided URL for inquiries about permission.

Licence dc:rights.uri

• http://dspace.mit.edu/handle/1721.1/7582

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/1721.1/59102

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:dspace.mit.edu:1721.1/59102