The Panradiometer: An Absolute Measuring Instrument for Environmental Radiation

Publisher Website
Google Scholar
Abstract
The instrument consists of four hollow, silver spheres 6 mm in diameter, of identical construction; one sphere is painted black, one white, and the remaining two are highly polished. Each is provided with a thermocouple for measuring its temperature, and an internal heating coil for adjusting its temperature. Total environmental thermal radiation intensity is obtained by measuring the heat input to the two spheres of lower temperature to bring the black, white, and one polished sphere to the same temperature when the instrument is exposed in a given environment. The second polished sphere provides for wind velocity measurements after the manner of a sphere anemometer. Measurement of direct solar radiation exclusive of reflected and scattered solar radiation is made by comparing the total radiation in sunlight with that obtained when the spheres are shaded from the sun. The radiant temperature of the environment is obtained by correcting the measured value of total radiation for the effect of solar radiation. A precision of ±4 percent can be realized for the measurement of solar radiation and of ±1.8°C for the measurement of the radiant temperature of the surroundings.

This publication has 2 references indexed in Scilit: