How far do radiosondes travel?
The radiosonde flight can last in excess of two hours, and during this time the radiosonde can ascend to over 115,000 feet (35,000 m ) and drift more than 125 miles (200 km ) from the release point.
Who invented radiosonde?
Pavel Molchanov
Radiosonde/Inventors
4.1. 1 Radiosonde Instrumentation. The radiosonde1 (rawinsonde) was invented in the late 1920s by Vilho Vaisala in Finland and independently by Pavel Molchanov in the Soviet Union.
Who uses radiosonde?
the National Weather Service
In the United States the National Weather Service is tasked with providing timely upper-air observations for use in weather forecasting, severe weather watches and warnings, and atmospheric research. The National Weather Service launches radiosondes from 92 stations in North America and the Pacific Islands twice daily.
What do I do if I find a radiosonde?
If the radiosonde is found after use, the person who discovers it can put it in the bag (no postage required) and give it to his/her mail carrier. The instrument is then sent to a reconditioning center so it can be reconditioned and reused. (Only about 15-20% of the instruments are ever found nationwide.
Why do radiosondes burst?
Beneath the helium balloon is a shoebox-sized weather instrument called a radiosonde, a small, disposable instrument package that sends back weather data such as atmospheric pressure, temperature, relative humidity and wind speed. It expands and explodes because of the lower air pressure at higher altitudes.
What is the purpose of radiosonde?
A radiosonde is an electronic device that is used to measure meteorological variables in the atmosphere. The instrument, smaller than the size of a coffee cup, is lifted to the upper atmosphere up to altitudes of 20 to 40 km by a weather balloon filled with helium or hydrogen.
When was the radiosondes invented?
1930
The first practical radiosonde was developed by the Russian Pavel Molchanov (also spelled variously Moltchanov and Moltchanoff) in 1930. The following year, Professor Vilho Vaisala of Finland designed and flew a radiosonde, and in 1936 he established the Vaisala Company to manufacture the devices.
How are GPS receivers used in a radiosonde?
Modern radiosondes contain a GPS receiver to calculate wind speed and direction, and a radio transmitter to send the data back to the ground. Since they were first developed in the 1930s, radiosondes have become smaller, lighter, more accurate and less expensive.
How are radiosondes used to measure the weather?
Radiosondes measure atmospheric pressure, air temperature, water vapor (humidity) and winds (speed and direction). Modern radiosondes contain a GPS receiver to calculate wind speed and direction, and a radio transmitter to send the data back to the ground.
How are radiosondes used in the real world?
Radiosondes provide a primary source of upper-air data and will remain so into the foreseeable future. Radiosonde observations are applied to a broad spectrum of efforts. Data applications include: – Input for computer-based weather prediction models; – Local severe storm, aviation, fire weather, and marine forecasts;
How long does it take for the radiosonde to rise?
As the radiosonde rises at about 300 meters/minute (about 1,000 feet/minute), sensors on the radiosonde transmit pressure, temperature, relative humidity and GPS position data each second.